Reversible sensor for detecting solvent vapors
First Claim
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1. A fugitive emissions sensor for reversibly detecting solvent vapors comprising:
- (a) a dielectric substrate having a major surface;
(b) a pair of electrically conductive electrodes disposed on said major surface of said substrate, said electrodes each comprising a plurality of fingers interdigitated with the other electrode; and
(c) a composite coating covering the interdigitated electrodes and comprising (1) a conductive polymer, said polymer having a conductivity in the range of 10-6 to 1 S/cm, and (2) a dielectric polymer with an affinity for said solvent vapors to be detected, the ratio of said conductive polymer to said dielectric polymer ranging from about 1;
1 to 1;
5.
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Abstract
A novel, inexpensive sensor (10) for detecting volatile hydrocarbons and other solvent vapors detects leaks in the fittings and valves of petroleum refineries and chemical manufacturing and processing plants. The sensor comprises (a) a dielectric substrate (12) having a major surface; (b) a pair of interdigitated, electrically conductive electrodes (14a, 14b) disposed on the major surface of the substrate; and (c) a composite coating (16) covering the interdigitated electrodes and comprising (1) a conductive polymer, and (2) a dielectric polymer with an affinity for the solvent vapors to be detected.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A fugitive emissions sensor for reversibly detecting solvent vapors comprising:
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(a) a dielectric substrate having a major surface; (b) a pair of electrically conductive electrodes disposed on said major surface of said substrate, said electrodes each comprising a plurality of fingers interdigitated with the other electrode; and (c) a composite coating covering the interdigitated electrodes and comprising (1) a conductive polymer, said polymer having a conductivity in the range of 10-6 to 1 S/cm, and (2) a dielectric polymer with an affinity for said solvent vapors to be detected, the ratio of said conductive polymer to said dielectric polymer ranging from about 1;
1 to 1;
5. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A fugitive emissions sensor for reversibly detecting solvent vapors selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbons and polar solvents, comprising:
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(a) a dielectric substrate having a major surface; (b) a pair of electrically conductive electrodes disposed on said major surface of said substrate, said electrodes each comprising a plurality of fingers interdigitated with the other electrode; and (c) a composite coating covering the interdigitated electrodes and comprising (1) a conductive polymer selected from the group consisting of polyaniline, polythiophene, polypyrrole, poly(p-phenylene vinylene), derivatives of these polymers, and mixtures of these materials, doped with appropriate dopants to provide a conductivity in the range of about 10-6 to 1 S/cm, and (2) a dielectric polymer with an affinity for said solvent vapors to be detected, said dielectric polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(isobutylene), polybutadiene, polystyrene, and alkyl-substituted polystyrenes where said solvent vapors to be detected comprise hydrocarbon solvents or said dielectric polymer containing polar functional groups selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, amino, and carboxylate groups where said solvent vapors to be detected comprise polar solvents, the ratio of said conducting polymer to said dielectric polymer ranging from about 1;
1 to 1;
5.
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15. A fugitive emissions sensor for reversibly detecting hydrocarbon solvent vapors comprising:
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(a) a dielectric substrate having a major surface; (b) a pair of electrically conductive electrodes disposed on said major surface of said substrate, said electrodes each comprising a plurality of fingers interdigitated with the other electrode; and (c) a composite coating covering the interdigitated electrodes and comprising (1) a conductive polymer consisting essentially of polyaniline doped with p-toluenesulfonic acid to provide a sulfonate salt having a conductivity within the range of about 10-6 to 1 S/cm, and (2) a dielectric polymer consisting essentially of poly(iso-butylene), the ratio of said conducting polymer to said dielectric polymer ranging from about 1;
1 to 1;
5.
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Specification