Chemoselective Polymers, Nanoparticles, and Nanotubes in Chemical Sensor and Preconcentrator Applications

The functionalization of polymers and nano-materials with 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP) groups provides materials suitable for a variety of preconcentrator and sensor applications. These are especially useful in high vapor pressure, hydrogen-bond basic vapor collection. These specific interactions lead to high efficiency collection of basic analytes such as DMMP (organophosphonates), DNT, and TNT (nitroaromatics). The lower vapor pressure analytes such as RDX have a larger dependence on surface interactions without specific (hydrogen bond) interactions. The use of carbosilane polymers with HFIP pendant groups offers dramatic improvements over fluoropolyol (FPOL) and siloxane polymers in sensor and precon applications. The sorbent capacity and thermal stability are both dramatically improved. In this work we will demonstrate the use of Carbon Nanotube (CNT) composites with HFIP polymers as sorbent coatings and evaluate their use as SPME coatings.