Detection of Cigarette Smoke Using a Surface-Acoustic-Wave Gas Sensor with Non-Polymer-Based Oxidized Hollow Mesoporous Carbon Nanospheres

Abstract

The objective of this research was to develop a surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) sensor of cigarette smoke to prevent tobacco hazards and to detect cigarette smoke in real time through the adsorption of an ambient tobacco marker. The SAW sensor was coated with oxidized hollow mesoporous carbon nanospheres (O-HMC) as a sensing material of a new type, which replaced a polymer. O-HMC were fabricated using nitric acid to form carboxyl groups on carbon frameworks. The modified conditions of O-HMC were analyzed with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The appropriately modified O-HMC are more sensitive than polyacrylic acid and hollow mesoporous carbon nanospheres (PAA-HMC), which is proven by normalization. This increases the sensitivity of a standard tobacco marker (3-ethenylpyridine, 3-EP) from 37.8 to 51.2 Hz/ppm and prevents the drawbacks of a polymer-based sensing material. On filtering particles above 1 μm and using tar to prevent tar adhesion, the SAW sensor detects cigarette smoke with sufficient sensitivity and satisfactory repeatability. Tests, showing satisfactory selectivity to the cigarette smoke marker (3-EP) with interfering gases CH4, CO, and CO2, show that CO and CO2 have a negligible role during the detection of cigarette smoke.

Applications of electronic nose technology in the tobacco industry: a comprehensive review

“…This is a huge leap when compared to traditional diffusion-onlybased systems that would take about an hour for the same level of detection. Cheng et al used oxidized hollow mesoporous carbon nanospheres (O-HMC) coated on a SAW sensor (figure 2(b)) [58]. This material achieved a sensitivity of 51.2 Hz ppm −1 to a standard tobacco marker (3ethenylpyridine, 3-EP), which was a significant improvement compared to the 37.8 Hz ppm −1 sensitivity of the polyacrylic acid and hollow mesoporous carbon nanospheres (PAA-HMC).…”

“…The most powerful to combat this challenge is using filter. Cheng et al reported that to prevent tar adhesion, particles above 1 µm are filtered [58]. This allows the SAW sensor to detect cigarette smoke with sufficient sensitivity and satisfactory repeatability.…”

Detection of cigarette smoke using a fiber membrane filmed with carbon nanoparticles and a fractal current law

“…Though there are some technologies to detect smoke, among which the surface acoustic wave sensor for the third-hand smoke [1,2], the passive detection method for smoking cessation [3], and smoke detection method for aircraft cargo compartment [4] have caught much attention. This paper suggests an economic and effective smoke sensor made of fabrics with a simple surface treatment.…”

Editorial for the Special Issue on “Micro- and Nanofluidics for Bionanoparticle Analysis”

“…Eight papers are published in this special issue and cover the design of microfluidics for bioseparation [1,2,3,4,5,6], incorporation of sensors with microfluidics for particle detection [6,7], and modular devices with both functions [1,6,7]. Nanomaterials have been combined with microfluidics for both separation [5] and sensing [7] purposes. The special issue also includes a review on programmable paper-based microfluidics [8].…”

“…Yang et al [6] took advantage of particle inertia in curved microfluidic channels to separate and contain particles in micro-tanks, which were further resolved by optical diffraction. Cheng et al [7] coated a surface acoustic wave sensor with oxidized mesoporous carbon nanospheres to trap chemical compounds in smoke, where the coating increased the sensitivity and selectivity of the acoustic wave sensor. Boltz et al [1] designed a split-flow device to perform continuous, in-line quality control of nanoparticle synthesis.…”