This chromogenic vapor sensor, utilizing a new type of shape memory polymer, shows a striking color change when exposed to different vapors. Commonly available vapor sensors work by monitoring the change in electrical properties of a conducting device; they are expensive, bulky, and inaccessible to the public.
Researchers at the University of Florida have developed a chromogenic vapor sensor that is reusable, inexpensive to produce, and easy to wear or hang in the field, making it perfect for quickly testing people or screening environments for harmful vapors, such as acetone, methanol, and dichloromethane. This vapor sensor is highly sensitive even to low doses and can improve wearable medical diagnostic screening, weapons detection, indoor air quality monitoring, and smart phone spectrometer applications.
Chromogenic vapor sensor that detects and characterizes different vapors for environmental monitoring, chemical processing, industrial manufacturing, or security operations
This chromogenic vapor sensor changes from colorless to strikingly iridescent when exposed to different vapors. The sensors are photonic crystal membranes with a 3D pattern of macropores that detect different vapors. This array of macropores has two states: a collapsed state and an inflated state. In the collapsed state, the vapor sensor is transparent, but when it transitions to an inflated state, the vapor sensor changes to an iridescent color that is visible to the naked eye. The transition occurs when the collapsed macropores encounter various vapors such as acetone, methanol, and dichloromethane. The vapor sensor will change to a certain color corresponding to the type of gas present based on Bragg diffraction of visible light. Different vapors lead to distinguishable colors, enabling specific detection of the vapors by simply monitoring the color change of the membrane.