Hyper-branched sensing polymers self-assembled on resonant micro-cantilever sensors for ultra-low concentration DMMP vapor detection

The paper reports a hyper-branched polymer functionalized on resonant micro-cantilevers to detect trace-level chemical vapor of dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP, simulant of sarin). The hyperbranch-polymer with functional-groups is directly constructed onto cantilever-surface by layer-to-layer step-growing monomers with an A₂+B₄ composition, where A₂ and B₄ are complementary interaction-groups for coupled linking. Experimental results verify that the hyperbranch-polymer-equipped resonant cantilevers are capable of detecting 5 ppb ultra-low concentration DMMP.