Wearable gas sensors have the potential to improve environmental and health monitoring

According to researchers, the newly developed flexible, porous and sensitive nitrogen dioxide sensor for skin and clothing has the potential to be applied in healthcare, environmental health monitoring and military applications.

Researchers led by Huanyu “Larry” Cheng, an assistant professor of engineering science and mechanics at Pennsylvania State University, presented sensor designs based on previous models and published ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces.

The sensor monitors nitrogen dioxide from breathing if it is attached under the nose and from sweat if it is attached elsewhere in the body. Unlike taking a blood sample, it adheres directly to the skin for continuous and long-term monitoring of the gas.

Chen explained that while similar sensors exist, the main differentiator for the new design is breathability.

“The substrate material commonly used for gas sensors is flexible, but not porous,” he said. “The accumulation of water from the surface of the skin can cause irritation and damage to the surface of the skin. You need to make sure that the device is porous so that it can pass through the sensor without accumulating on the surface. . ”

Researchers have created a new sensor using a manufacturing method called laser direct writing.

“Direct laser writing is similar to layered modeling in that it is easy to set up, low cost, and the laser is widely available,” Cheng said. “This process is relatively robust and fast and can be scaled up to large-scale manufacturing.”

Cheng and his team have integrated a type of material called block copolymers with resin to create a laser write sensor with the desired breathability.

“The integration of block copolymers goes beyond the materials we have used so far, so we considered expanding the substrate material from common thin films to virtually anything,” Cheng said. .. “It can give us breathability and adjustable pore size.”

According to Chen, the sensor can monitor conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease that nitrogen dioxide can cause or exacerbate. He also noted that although the sensor was specially developed to detect nitrogen dioxide, it may be able to detect a variety of gases and biomarkers. For example, you can measure your blood glucose to monitor diabetes or identify dangers in an industrial or combat environment.

“Sensors also help monitor gas in the environment,” he said. “For example, you can monitor air quality and inform patients of potential concerns about too much exhaust from your car. Then you can use that information to cover a particular area on a particular day. You can avoid it. ”

reference: Yang L, Ji H, Men C, etc. An essentially breathable and flexible NO2 gas sensor produced by laser direct writing of self-assembled block copolymers. ACSApplMater interface.. 2022; 14 (15): 17818-17825. doi: 10.1021 / acsami.2c02061

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