Rapid cigarette detection by using surface acoustic wave gas sensor with non-polymer sensing film

Abstract

The surface acoustic wave (SAW) gas sensor is coated with modified hollow mesoporous carbon nanosphere to replace generally used polymer as new type sensing material, which is used to detect the secondhand smoke marker, 3-ethenylpyridine. This non-polymer sensing layer is more sensitive than poly-acrylic acid due to the much more carboxyl group bonded by treating with nitric acid and the large specific surface area caused by porous structure is leading to rapid detection at low flow rate. Finally, the SAW sensor successfully detects real cigarette smoke with good repeatability, having great potential as real time monitoring for smoking in actual environment.