SBIR Phase I: Field-deployable Chemical Sensors for the Continuous Monitoring of Emissions

The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to develop field-deployable chemical sensors capable of measuring and quantifying atmospheric volatile molecules on a wide scale and at low cost. This project is initially intended for operators in the natural gas business (producers and utilities), by gearing this network towards detecting gas leaks. However, the lack of continuous atmospheric monitoring solutions is an issue in many verticals including but not limited to mining, agriculture, manufacturing, and others. Creating such a platform will allow for us to develop solutions beyond natural gas utilities and producers. These solutions will allow us to create industry standards for continuous monitoring in many fields. This work will not only lead to important technological innovations, including the first fully gas-phase electrochemical measurements, but also broadly impact society economically, environmentally, and through its impact on the health of average citizens. The SBIR Phase I proposed project builds upon our voltammetric sensing proof of concept to increase its technology readiness level from lab-ready to field-ready. This change will allow these sensors to be used as part of a continuous emissions monitoring system. There are currently no low cost chemical sensors that can produce high quality data by identifying and quantifying various volatile molecules in air. Field-deployment of these sensors will be possible by integrating temperature and humidity compensation, adding the ability to operate without hydration, and improving the sensing resolution. Furthermore, the company will focus on using a higher throughput fabrication process like inkjet printing, to allow their sensors to be compatible with roll-to-roll manufacturing processes. The combination of these features will lead to sensors that can be robustly deployed and operated in different geographies and weather patterns. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.