PERSONAL ALARM THIN-FILM CONDUCTING-POLYMER HYDRAZINE EXPOSURE SENSOR (PATCHES)

A SENSING DEVICE IS REQUIRED FOR THE DETECTION OF TOXIC HYPERGOLIC PROPELLANTS (HYDRAZINE, MONOMETHYL HYDRAZINE, UNSYMMETRICAL DIMETHLHYDRAZINE) FOR THE SAFETY PROTECTION OF PROPELLANT HANDLERS WHO WORK ON SPACE LAUNCH OPERATIONS. SPIRE CORPORATION PROPOSES TO DEVELOP A TOXIC VAPOR DETECTOR BASED ON REAGENT-INDUCED CONDUCTIVITY MODIFICATION OF A DOPED, CONDUCTING POLYTHIOPHENE LANGMUIR-BLODGETT THIN FILM. THE GOAL IS A STABLE, INEXPENSIVE, MICRO-SIZED DEVICE WITH THE POTENTIAL OF ELECTROCHROMIC DISPLAY THAT CAN SENSITIVELY AND SELECTIVELY DETECT TOXIC HYPERGOLIC PROPELLANT COMPONENTS. THE PROPOSED PATCHES INSTRUMENT WOULD CONSIST OF TWO COMPLEMENTARY MODULES: (1) A SUPPORTED CONDUCTING POLYMER WITH APPROPRIATE ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS, AND (2) AN ELECTRICAL MEASUREMENT AND DATA ANALYSIS UNIT. THE BASIC OPERATIONAL PRINCIPLE IS THE EXPOSURE OF DOPED POLYMERS TO SPECIFIC CHEMICAL REAGENTS PRODUCES A CONDUCTIVITY CHANGE PROPORTIONAL TO BOTH REAGENT CONCENTRATION AND LENGTH OF EXPOSURE. PHASE I WOULD PROVIDE A LABORATORY PROOF-OF-CONCEPT DEMONSTRATION OF THE PATCHES AND ESTABLISH THE DESIGN PARAMETERS FOR A BREADBOARD PATCHES INSTRUMENT TO BE CONSTRUCTED IN PHASE II.