Passive Sensor for the Detection of Hydrazine Leaks in Missile Canisters

The objective of this Phase II project is to complete the research required to deliver to the THAAD program for military qualification testing a low cost, easy to use, passive, nonreversible, MEMs based, chemiresistor sensor for the detection of hydrazine in missile canisters. The Air Force has set the maximum exposure limit to hydrazine at 10 ppb for an 8-hour period. A hydrazine sensor is needed to protect personnel from hydrazine leaks and insure the readiness of the THAAD missile. Seventy-five sensors were fabricated under the successful Phase I research effort. The sensor was demonstrated to be able to detect as little as 2 ppb to hundreds of ppm hydrazine with a rapid response time of less than a second. No degradation in the sensor response after 90 days of storage was measured. The sensor delivered for qualification testing will be capable of operating in two modes: 1) a storage monitoring mode where the sensor will monitor long-term levels of hydrazine to insure the integrity of the THAAD missile system and 2) an alarm mode to provide an instantaneous warning that a leak has occurred that could potentially endanger personnel.