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Metallo-porphyrin zinc as gas sensitive material for colorimetric gas sensors on planar optical waveguides

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Abstract

The presented work focuses on the investigations of a metallo-porphyrin and its gasochromic behavior to different gases. Gasochromic materials change their color while they are exposed to a certain gas. So they offer the possibility to develop highly selective chemical gas sensors and gas sensing systems. The focus of this work is the characterization of the metallo-porphyrin 5, 10, 15, 20-tetraphenylporphyrin-zinc (ZnTPP). Nonetheless, there is a wide range of other possible metallo-porphyrins. When embedded into a polymeric matrix (PVC) a color change to the toxic gas NO2 can be detected. To develop a stand-alone gas sensor, the porphyrin/PVC matrix is deposited onto a planar optical waveguide. The color change of the porphyrin dye can be detected in the evanescent field of the optical waveguide. Therefore, the light of a high power LED is coupled into the waveguide. The color change of the porphyrin is detectable with photodiodes as a variation of the out-coupled light intensity. The sensor shows no unwished sensitivities to CO2 and CO and only low to NH3. NO2 is detectable with a resolution of 1 ppm.

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Acknowledgments

This research has been supported by the internal programs of the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft (WISA Food Chain Management) and the Spitzencluster Microtec Südwest in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) (project SensRFID).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fraunhofer Institute for Physical Measurement Techniques, Heidenhofstr. 8, 79110, Freiburg, Germany

    Carolin Peter, Katrin Schmitt, Martin Apitz & Juergen Woellenstein

  2. IMTEK, University of Freiburg, Georges Koehler Allee 102, 79110, Freiburg, Germany

    Juergen Woellenstein

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  1. Carolin Peter
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  2. Katrin Schmitt
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  3. Martin Apitz
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  4. Juergen Woellenstein
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Correspondence to Carolin Peter.

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Peter, C., Schmitt, K., Apitz, M. et al. Metallo-porphyrin zinc as gas sensitive material for colorimetric gas sensors on planar optical waveguides. Microsyst Technol 18, 925–930 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-011-1412-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-011-1412-x

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