CONDUCTING ORGANIC POLYMER ENVIRONMENTAL SENSOR (COPES)

A SENSING DEVICE IS REQUIRED FOR THE DETECTION OF TOXIC HYPERBOLIC PROPELLANT (HYDRAZINE, MONOMETHYL HYDRAZINE, AMMONIA, AND NITROGEN TETROXIDE) ON THE SURFACE OF ASTRONAUTSPACESUITS AND EQUIPMENT IN VACUUM. SPECTRAL SCIENCES, INC.PROPOSES TO DEVELOP A TOXIC VAPOR DETECTOR BASED ON REAGENT-INDUCED MODIFICATION OF THE CONDUCTIVITY OF DOPED, CONDUCTING POLYANILINE. THE GOAL IS AN INEXPENSIVE, MICRO-SIZED DEVICE THAT CAN SENSITIVELY AND SELECTIVELY DETECT TOXIC HYPERBOLIC PROPELLANT COMPONENTS. THE PROPOSEDCOPES INSTRUMENT WOULD CONSIST OF TWO COMPLEMENTARY MODULES: (1) A SUPPORTED POLYMER SAMPLE WITH APPROPRIATE ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS AND (2) AN ELECTRICAL MEASUREMENT ANDDATA ANALYSIS UNIT. THE BASIC OPERATIONAL PRINCIPLE IS THAT EXPOSURE OF DOPED, CONDUCTING POLYANILINE TO SPECIFIC CHEMICAL REAGENTS PRODUCES CHANGES IN CONDUCTIVITY WHICH AREPROPORTIONAL TO BOTH REAGENT CONCENTRATION AND LENGTH OF EXPOSURE. PHASE I WOULD PROVIDE A LABORATORY PROOF-OF-CONCEPT DEMONSTRATION OF THE COPES SENSOR AND ESTABLISH THE DESIGN PARAMETERS FOR A BREADBOARD COPES INSTRUMENT TO BE CONSTRUCTED IN PHASE II.