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Molecularly imprinted sol–gel silica (MIS) coupled to a microwave sensor was designed and used to detect phenylacetaldehyde (PAA), a chemical tracer of wine oxidation. The developed method is fast, cheap and could replace the classical chromatographic methods, which require a tedious sample preparation and are expensive. To reach our objective, five MIS and their control non-imprinted silica (NIS) were synthesized and their extraction capacity toward PAA was studied in hydro alcoholic medium. The selected polymers, based on this first step, were subjected to a selectivity study in the presence of PAA and three other competing molecules. The best polymer was integrated in a microwave sensor and was used to assess PAA in red wine. The developed sensor was able to detect PAA at the µg·L−1 level, which is below the off-flavour threshold.

This work presents new developments in the microwave transduction and its application to gas sensors. Microwave measurements were extended to reflection/transmission coefficients through the use of a microstrip interdigital capacitor design. A sensitive layer composed of commercial TiO2 nanoparticles was deposited on the sensor surface, in order to detect the ammonia target gas. A complete analysis methodology is proposed. It allows to identify without ambiguity all the sensor frequencies of interest, as well as a full characterization of usual gas sensor parameters such as reproducibility, stability, response time, etc. Furthermore, it involves a new method of representation which significantly limits the amount of unexploited data collected during microwave measurements. The proposed sensor exhibits a strong correlation between response values and injected ammonia concentration between 100 and 500 ppm, with a good reversibility and stability of the measure.

This work presents new microwave-based sensing measurements for the detection of NH 3 using metal-oxide sensitive layers, namely titanium dioxide nanoparticles (P25 Degussa). Several designs have been tested to assess the influence of the design on the microwave gas sensing response. The results for microstrip interdigital capacitor, rectangular spiral antenna and spiral resonator are presented over a wide range of frequencies (2-8GHz). All designs were firstly optimized by numerical simulation, then experimentally tested in presence of ammonia (from 100 to 500ppm in an argon flow).

The gas sensing is an environmental topic representing a strong interest for this century. Whatever the purpose, industrial emissions control or indoor quality air supervision, the challenge remains to produce effective low costs detection systems adapted to the atmospheric conditions. This study focuses on the estimation of the microwaves transduction technique viability for the toluene detection. Sensors are based on zeolites powders, deposited on coplanar structures adapted to the microwave frequency range. We shall apply to explain the principles of the microwave transduction before approaching the conception of the sensors, the measurement protocol and the obtained results.

Monitoring burn depth in heart tissue during the ablation of atrial fibrillation will be a real challenge in coming years. Little is known about the influence of burning on the dielectric properties of tissue even though it will be of major interest in terms of characterization in medicine. In this study, the microwave characterization of biological tissues immersed in a liquid medium was carried out through an open-ended coaxial probe placed directly against each sample and a frequency range from 1 GHz to 6 GHz was used. The evolution of the relative variation of the reflection coefficient correlated with the depth of burned tissues. Bovine muscle and pig hearts were used for the experiments. The results were similar for both tissues. Monitoring the depth of burned tissue during ablation procedures could be a step forward to improve efficacy.

This work presents new elements of understanding for the microwave-based gas sensors behavior at room temperature. A TiO2-covered microstrip interdigital capacitor was submitted to various ethanol concentrations and showed a proportional response in the 1–10 GHz microwave range. For each concentration and right after ethanol injection, the sensor response presented a slight overshoot which is often found in gas sensors studies. Near ambient pressure photoemission experiments (NAP-XPS) were conducted to explore the physicochemical causes of this overshoot, and demonstrated the formation of an ethoxide during ethanol adsorption.

This work presents the development of a microwave gas sensor at room temperature. The design of the sensor includes a coplanar grounded wave guide where is deposited a molecular gas sensing material. In this study, the sensitive material is a thin layer of cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc), sensitive to ammonia and toluene. Submitted to an electromagnetic incident wave in the microwave range, the sensor response is a reflected wave. In the presence of pollutant, the reflected wave shape is specific to the species concentrations. The results interpretation is led at each frequency by the evaluation of the reflected coefficient, which traduces the ratio between the reflected wave over the incident wave. This study deals with the influence of molecular sensitive materials on the sensor response in the presence of ammonia (or toluene) in an argon flow. All the measurements are carried out at room temperature.

International audience; Based on the skin effect, our recent developments using scanning microwave microscopy lead to propose a non-destructive method to detect located buried defect in metal samples like stainless steel. A 3D tomography is possible by taking advantage of microwave measurement, using a vector network analyzer in bandwidth frequencies, and the nanometer resolution positioning capabilities with atomic force microscopy. At each used frequency, an incident electromagnetic wave is sent to the sample and the reflected wave gives information on a specific depth layer in the material. With diagnostic tools of nanotechnologies (SEM. AFM, etc.), different stainless steel samples (from Areva NP) presenting local buried defects are studied. The materials used in this study are conventional stainless steels like a 304 stainless steel which is the most versatile and widely used stainless steel. The results of the tomography applied on these samples are in accordance with the skin effect equation.

This work presents a novel approach in gas detection by an original method of microwave transduction. The design of the sensor includes a coplanar grounded wave guide with a gas sensing material to study its sensitivity to ammonia in argon flux. The sensing material can play the role of the substrate or can be deposited as a thin layer on a microstrip structure used in electronics. Submitted to an electromagnetic excitation in microwave energies, the sensor response in the presence of a gas results in a specific modification of the reflected wave (real and imaginary parts). The goals of this study include an examination of the form of the sensitive material and its influence on the response of the microwave gas sensor. Two cases are considered: bulk or thin layer. In bulk case, the material plays the role of the substrate of the microstrip structure. In the second case, a thin layer is deposited on the sensor. We showed how, in the presence of ammonia, the reflected wave is related to its concentration. The response to the material–gas interaction depends on the excitation frequency. The parameter used as the sensor response is the ratio of the reflected wave on the incident wave at each frequency. The study deals with the influence of molecular sensing materials (CoPc) on the response of the sensor in the presence of ammonia. All the measurement were carried out at room temperature.

A series of new molecular semiconductor-doped insulator (MSDI) heterojunctions as conductimetric transducers to NH3 sensing were fabricated based on a novel semiconducting molecular material, an amphiphilic tris(phthalocyaninato) rare earth triple-decker complex, Eu2[Pc(15C5)4]2[Pc(OC10H21)8], quasi-Langmuir–Shafer (QLS) film, as a top-layer, and vacuum-deposited and cast film of CuPc as well as copper tetra-tert-butyl phthalocyanine (CuTTBPc) QLS film as a sub-layer, named as MSDIs 1, 2 and 3, respectively. MSDIs 1–3 and respective sub-layers prepared from three different methods were characterized by X-ray diffraction, electronic absorption spectra and current–voltage (I–V) measurements. Depending on the sub-layer film-forming method used, α-phase CuPc film structure, β-phase CuPc crystallites and H-type aggregates of CuTTBPc have been obtained, respectively. An increasing sensitivity to NH3 at varied concentrations in the range of 15–800 ppm, follows the order MSDI 2

International audience; This work presents a new transduction mode for gas sensing using a passive microwave circuit at room temperature. The design of the sensor includes a microstrip line where is deposited a thin molecular layer of cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc). The material is sensitive to ammonia and toluene. Submitted to an electromagnetic incident wave in the microwave range, the sensor response is a reflected wave. In the presence of ammonia, the reflected wave is specific to the species concentration. The sensor response is the reflected wave over the incident wave ratio at each frequency traduced by the reflected coefficient. The study deals with the influence of molecular sensitive materials on the sensor response in the presence of ammonia (or toluene) in an argon flow. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd .... Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the Symposium Cracoviense Sp. z.o.o.

The interaction between electrical arc and cathode represents a crucial problem in the conception of arc jet thrusters, circuit breakers, and plasma torch or arc heaters. At the cathode surface, the current and energy transfers are controlled by the current emitting site (cathodic spot). Theories and experimental observations, at macroscopic and mesoscopic scale, deal with the erosion of the cathodic surface. Under micrometer range, theories refer to the arc root to describe the erosion of the surface. The works presented here propose an original method to evaluate the arc-cathode interaction at micrometric scale. A nanotechnology is used in order to control the roughness of the electrode surface and to deposit the microscopic tip. After discharge, the influence of the tip in the cathodic erosion process is studied. Scanning Electron Microscopy images show that a good reproducibility of the erosion zone is obtained by using this experimental method.

We outline the development of a gas sensor using microwave technology (0.3 MHz to 3 GHz). The sensor is a coaxial structure into which is introduced a sensitive material. An electromagnetic field (microwave), sent out through the sensor by a vectorial network analyzer, solicits the sensitive material exposed to a gas. The observed variation in the sensor response is due to the variation in the adsorption of this gas. SrTiO3, demonstrated to be the highly sensitive to water vapour, is exposed to differents gases (saturated vapour of water, ethanol and toluene). The response of the sensor is quantitative and typical for each gas. This method of measurement leads to the development of an alternative to the current gas sensor.

Hematite crystals of different shapes (dendrites, cubes, spindles and rhombohedra) were obtained via a low cost and environment-friendly microwave route. The structure and morphology were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). At last, a comparative microwave gas sensing study was performed to assess the influence of morphology on sensor response.