Switchable Surfaces for Vapor Stream Concentration(1001-344)

Trace detection usually requires a vapor concentrator that collects dilute analytes from a vapor sample and delivers them at a higher concentration to the detector. Conventional vapor concentrators tend to use either cryogenics, where vapors are concentrated on a cooled surface and then desorbed via flash heating, or sorbent technology, such as zeolites, where vapors are absorbed before flash-heat desorption. For humid vapor streams, cryogenic vapor concentrators can cause unacceptable condensation of water. Many sorbent-based vapor concentrators have the disadvantage of long cycle times and sometimes require desorption temperatures high enough to fragment heat-sensitive compounds. Triton Systems is developing a non-cryogenic, small-form-factor vapor concentrator that is able to selectively adsorb polar and non-polar analytes from a vapor sample. Customization for selective concentration of more specific classes of analytes is also possible. Fast desorption of the concentrated analyte is near instantaneous and the process is highly repeatable. The method avoids lengthy diffusion, enabling short cycle times. This Phase II program will culminate in a prototype tested with multiple CWA simulants and interferents. Miniaturized designs will be made to ensure easy coupling of the unit to any benchtop trace detector, as well as integration with some handheld detectors.