ChemiBlock transducers

The first chemical gas transducers that employ NanoBlock® substrates are described. The sensing material, a carbon black/polymer composite, is deposited onto pre-patterned silicon wafers. Subsequent processing steps yield transducers with a small form factor (1.05 mm × 1.05 mm). These so termed “ChemiBlocks” exhibit response times t90 < 3 s and recovery times t10 < 15 s when exposed to the nerve gas simulant dimethyl methylphosphonate. Although only one composite composition is employed in this study, the extension to array-based differentiation of target analytes and interferents is anticipated to be straightforward given the maturity of C-black/polymer composite sensor technology. ChemiBlock transducers are well suited for application in radio-frequency microsensor systems that are currently under development.