Nanoelectronic capnometer adaptor including a nanoelectric sensor selectively sensitive to at least one gaseous constituent of exhaled breath

• US 7,547,931 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2004
• Issued: 06/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nanomix Incorporated (CJY Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Nanomix Incorporated (CJY Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Star, Alexander, Joshi, Vikram, Gruner, George, Wyatt, Jeffrey, Stetter, Joseph R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickey, Thomas L
• Application Number:
  US11/019,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20050245836A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,639 Days
• Field of Search: 257/E51.04, 257/253, 361/226, 977/720, 977/721, 977/723
• US Class Current: 257/253
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/4141 specially adapted for gases
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/4146 involving nanosized elements, e.g. nanotubes, nanowires
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/497 of gaseous biological material, e.g. breath
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/72 On an electrically conducting, semi-conducting, or semi-insulating substrate

Abstract

A capnometer adaptor includes a nanostructure sensor configured to selectively respond to a gaseous constituent of exhaled breath, such as to carbon dioxide. In certain embodiments, the adaptor includes an airway adaptor having at least one channel configured for the passage of respiratory gas; at least one nanostructure sensor in fluid communication with the passage, the sensor configured to selectively respond to at least one gaseous constituent of exhaled breath comprising carbon dioxide; and electronic hardware connected to the nanostructure sensor and configured to provide a signal indicative of a response of the sensor to the at least one gaseous constituent of exhaled breath. The sensor may be provided as a compact and solid-state device, and may be adapted for a variety of respiratory monitoring applications.

Claims

1. A capnometer;

comprising;

an airway adaptor having at least one channel configured for the passage of respiratory gas;

at least one nanostructure sensor in fluid communication with the passage, the sensor configured to selectively respond to at least one gaseous constituent of exhaled breath comprising carbon dioxide;

electronic hardware connected to the nanostructure sensor and configured to provide a signal indicative of a response of the sensor to the at least one gaseous constituent of exhaled breath;

wherein the at least one nanostructure sensor comprises;

a substrate;

a first nanostructure over the substrate;

at least two conducting elements in electrical communication with the first nanostructure; and

at least one recognition material operatively associated with the first nanostructure, wherein the at least one recognition material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of benzylamine, naphthalenemethylamine, antracene amine, and pyrene amine.

2. A capnometer as in claim 1, further comprising an output device connected to the electronic hardware and configured to provide an output indicative of a concentration of the at least one gaseous constituent of exhaled breath.

3. The capnometer of claim 1, wherein the first nanostructure is selected from the group consisting of nanotubes, nanowires, nanofibers, and nanorods.

4. The capnometer of claim 1, wherein the first nanostructure comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of carbon, boron, boron nitride, and carbon boron nitride, silicon, germanium, gallium nitride, zinc oxide, indium phosphide, molybdenum disulphide, and silver.

5. The capnometer of claim 1, wherein the first nanostructure comprises a single-wall carbon nanotube.

6. The capnometer of claim 1, wherein the conducting elements comprise metal electrodes.

7. The capnometer of claim 1, wherein the conducting elements are in direct physical contact with the first nanostructure.

8. The capnometer of claim 1, wherein the at least one recognition material comprises a plurality of different materials.

9. The capnometer of claim 1, further comprising a gate electrode in proximity to the nanostructure.

10. The capnometer of claim 1, further comprising a layer of inhibiting material covering regions of the sensor adjacent to the connections between the conductive elements.

11. The capnometer of claim 1, wherein the airway adaptor is configured to receive a portion of exhalation flow from at least a one of:

a respirator system, a endotracheal ventilator system, an sleep apnea treatment system, a sleep apnea diagnostic system, an anesthesia system, a cardiac function diagnostic system, a metabolic function measuring system, an asthma monitoring system, and a gastro-intestinal testing system.

12. The capnometer of claim 1, wherein the capnometer is configured to mate with one of a respirator mask, an ambubag, and laryngeal mask.

13. The capnometer of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the capnometer is configured to be disposable.

14. The capnometer of claim 1, wherein the at least one recognition material comprises a substantially continuous layer over the nanostructure.

15. The capnometer of claim 14, wherein the at least one recognition material further comprises a layer of metal disposed adjacent the gate electrode.

16. The capnometer of claim 15, wherein the recognition material further comprises a layer of polymeric material disposed adjacent the layer of metal.

17. The capnometer of claim 1, wherein at least one recognition material further comprises a layer of metal disposed adjacent the first nanostructure.

18. The capnometer of claim 17, wherein the recognition material further comprises a layer of polymeric material disposed adjacent the layer of metal.

19. The capnometer of claim 1, wherein the airway adaptor is configured to receive exhalation flow from at least a one of:

a respirator system, a endotracheal ventilator system, an sleep apnea treatment system, a sleep apnea diagnostic system, an anesthesia system, a cardiac function diagnostic system, a metabolic function measuring system, an asthma monitoring system, and a gastro-intestinal testing system.

20. The capnometer of claim 19, wherein the airway adaptor is configured to operate externally to a patient'"'"'s body.

21. The capnometer of claim 20;

wherein the airway adaptor is configured to operate internally to a patients body.

22. A capnometer;

comprising;

an airway adaptor having at least one channel configured for the passage of respiratory gas;

at least one nanostructure sensor in fluid communication with the passage, the sensor configured to selectively respond to at least one gaseous constituent of exhaled breath comprising carbon dioxide;

electronic hardware connected to the nanostructure sensor and configured to provide a signal indicative of a response of the sensor to the at least one gaseous constituent of exhaled breath;

wherein the at least one nanostructure sensor comprises;

a substrate;

a first nanostructure over the substrate;

at least two conducting elements in electrical communication with the first nanostructure; and

at least one recognition material operatively associated with the first nanostructure, wherein the at least one recognition material comprises poly(ethylene imine) in mixture with a starch.

23. The capnometer of claim 22, wherein the starch comprises at least one of amylose and amylopectin.

24. The capnometer of claim 22, wherein the at least one recognition material further comprises a metallic carbonate.

25. The capnometer of claim 22, wherein the at least one recognition material further comprises at least one carbonate selected from the group consisting of lithium carbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, cesium carbonate, barium carbonate, calcium carbonate, and silver carbonate.

26. The capnometer of claim 22, wherein the at least one recognition material further comprises a pH-sensitive polymer.