Novel CO2 Gas Sensors for Autonomous Measurement of Ocean Carbon

The objective of the proposed work is to determine whether Dioxide Materials' miniature C02 sensors have the potential to be adapted for autonomous measurement of ocean carbon. The existing sensors have many advantages for measurements of ocean carbon. They are much smaller and less costly than the existing sensors, work with much smaller gas samples, and use much less power. The sensors were designed for HVAC systems not seawater sampling, and so improvements are needed if the sensors are to be used for autonomous measurement of ocean carbon. Still, if we are successful, our sensors will allow a C02 detection system to change from something the size of a desk to something that is about the size and weight of a household thermostat and use milliwatts of power. The objective of the Phase I effort will be to modify the sensors to meet the specifications in the BAA. That includes changing the structure of the sensor to allow differential C02 measurements, improving the algorithms and electronics to lower the noise, determining whether it is necessary to thermostat the sensors or use calibration gases. Our sensor is so small, that thermostating the sensor would only require 40 milliwatts of power, while a 2 milliliter syringe would hold enough calibration gas for 15 months of measurements at a measurement rate of one every 6 hours.