scholarly journals Optical Detection of Vapor Mixtures Using Structurally Colored Butterfly and Moth Wings

Sensors ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (14) ◽  
pp. 3058 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gábor Piszter ◽  
Krisztián Kertész ◽  
Zsolt Bálint ◽  
László Péter Biró
Keyword(s):  
Capillary Condensation ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Sensor Material ◽  
Conformal Change ◽  
Vapor Sensing ◽  
Optical Responses ◽  
Surrounding Atmosphere ◽  
Vapor Mixtures ◽  
Chemically Selective ◽  
Wing Scales

Photonic nanoarchitectures in the wing scales of butterflies and moths are capable of fast and chemically selective vapor sensing due to changing color when volatile vapors are introduced to the surrounding atmosphere. This process is based on the capillary condensation of the vapors, which results in the conformal change of the chitin-air nanoarchitectures and leads to a vapor-specific optical response. Here, we investigated the optical responses of the wing scales of several butterfly and moth species when mixtures of different volatile vapors were applied to the surrounding atmosphere. We found that the optical responses for the different vapor mixtures fell between the optical responses of the two pure solvents in all the investigated specimens. The detailed evaluation, using principal component analysis, showed that the butterfly-wing-based sensor material is capable of differentiating between vapor mixtures as the structural color response was found to be characteristic for each of them.

scholarly journals Vapor Selectivity of a Natural Photonic Crystal to Binary and Tertiary Mixtures Containing Chemical Warfare Agent Simulants

Sensors ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Kittle ◽  
Benjamin Fisher ◽  
Courtney Kunselman ◽  
Aimee Morey ◽  
Andrea Abel
Keyword(s):  
Photonic Crystals ◽  
Chemical Warfare Agent ◽  
Nerve Agent ◽  
Chemical Warfare ◽  
Mustard Gas ◽  
Dimethyl Methylphosphonate ◽  
Vapor Sensing ◽  
Sensitivity Level ◽  
Vapor Mixtures ◽  
Wing Scales

Vapor sensing via light reflected from photonic crystals has been increasingly studied as a means to rapidly identify analytes, though few studies have characterized vapor mixtures or chemical warfare agent simulants via this technique. In this work, light reflected from the natural photonic crystals found within the wing scales of the Morpho didius butterfly was analyzed after exposure to binary and tertiary mixtures containing dimethyl methylphosphonate, a nerve agent simulant, and dichloropentane, a mustard gas simulant. Distinguishable spectra were generated with concentrations tested as low as 30 ppm and 60 ppm for dimethyl methylphosphonate and dichloropentane, respectively. Individual vapors, as well as mixtures, yielded unique responses over a range of concentrations, though the response of binary and tertiary mixtures was not always found to be additive. Thus, while selective and sensitive to vapor mixtures containing chemical warfare agent simulants, this technique presents challenges to identifying these simulants at a sensitivity level appropriate for their toxicity.

scholarly journals Optical Vapor Sensing on Single Wing Scales and on Whole Wings of the Albulina metallica Butterfly

Sensors ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (12) ◽  
pp. 4282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krisztián Kertész ◽  
Gábor Piszter ◽  
Zsolt Bálint ◽  
László Biró
Keyword(s):  
Short Range ◽  
Ethanol Vapor ◽  
Transmitted Light ◽  
Structural Color ◽  
Vapor Sensing ◽  
Optical Readout ◽  
Green Cover ◽  
Index Matching ◽  
Chemically Selective ◽  
Wing Scales

Fast, chemically-selective sensing of vapors using an optical readout can be achieved with the photonic nanoarchitectures occurring in the wing scales of butterflies possessing structural color. These nanoarchitectures are built of chitin and air. The Albulina metallica butterfly is remarkable as both the dorsal (blue) and ventral (gold-green) cover scales are colored by the same type (pepper-pot) of photonic nanoarchitecture, exhibiting only a short-range order. The vapors of ten different volatiles were tested for sensing on whole wing pieces and some of the volatiles were tested on single scales as well, both in reflected and transmitted light. Chemically-selective responses were obtained showing that selectivity can be increased by using arrays of sensors. The sensing behavior is similar in single scales and on whole wing pieces, and is similar in reflected and transmitted light. By immersing single scales in an index-matching fluid for chitin, both the light scattering and the photonic nanoarchitecture were switched off, and the differences in pigment content were revealed. By artificially stacking several layers of blue scales on top of each other, both the intensity of the characteristic photonic signal in air and the magnitude of the vapor sensing response for 50% ethanol vapor in artificial air were increased.

Temperature and saturation dependence in the vapor sensing of butterfly wing scales

2014 ◽  
Vol 39 ◽  
pp. 221-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Kertész ◽  
G. Piszter ◽  
E. Jakab ◽  
Zs. Bálint ◽  
Z. Vértesy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Butterfly Wing ◽  
Vapor Sensing ◽  
Wing Scales

Vapor detection through dynamic process of molecule desorption from butterfly wings

2020 ◽  
Vol 92 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-232
Author(s):  
Zhen Luo ◽  
Zhaoyue Weng ◽  
Qingchen Shen ◽  
Shun An ◽  
Jiaqing He ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Butterfly Wing ◽  
Detection Mechanism ◽  
Vapor Detection ◽  
Desorption Process ◽  
Mixing Ratios ◽  
Vapor Sensing ◽  
Butterfly Wings ◽  
Components Analysis ◽  
Morpho Butterfly ◽  
Wing Scales

AbstractThis work explores an alternative vapor sensing mechanism through analyzing dynamic desorption process from butterfly wings for the differentiation of both individual and mixed vapors quantitatively. Morpho butterfly wings have been used in differentiating individual vapors, but it is challenging to use them for the differentiation of mixed vapor quantitatively. This paper demonstrates the use of Morpho butterfly wings for the sensitive and selective detection of closely related vapors in mixtures. Principal components analysis (PCA) is used to process the reflectance spectra of the wing scales during dynamic desorption of different vapors. With the desorption-based detection mechanism, individual vapors with different concentrations and mixed vapors with different mixing ratios can be differentiated using the butterfly wing based sensors. Both the original butterfly wings and butterfly wings with surface modification show the capability in distinguishing vapors in mixtures, which may offer a guideline for further improving selectivity and sensitivity of bioinspired sensors.

Rapid chemical vapor sensing and micro gas chromatography detection using optofluidic ring resonators

2008 ◽  
Vol 1133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuze Sun ◽  
Siyka I. Shopova ◽  
Ian M. White ◽  
Hongying Zhu ◽  
Greg Frye-Mason ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gas Chromatography ◽  
Ring Resonator ◽  
Circular Cross Section ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Spectral Shift ◽  
Ring Resonators ◽  
Glass Capillary ◽  
Vapor Sensing ◽  
Vapor Mixtures ◽  
The Individual

Abstract We develop rapid chemical vapor sensors and micro gas chromatography (μGC) analyzers based on the optofluidic ring resonator (OFRR). An OFRR is a micro-sized thin-walled glass capillary; the circular cross-section of the capillary acts as an optical ring resonator while the whispering gallery modes or circulating waveguide modes (WGMs) supported by the ring resonator interact with the vapor samples passing through the capillary. The OFRR interior surface is coated with a vapor-sensitive polymer. The analyte and polymer interaction causes the polymer refractive index (RI) and the thickness to change, which is detected as a WGM spectral shift. Owing to the excellent fluidics, the OFRR vapor sensor exhibits sub-second detection and recovery time with a flow rate of 1 mL/min. On-column separation and detection in the OFRR based μGC system is also demonstrated, showing efficient separation of vapor mixtures and presenting highly reproducible retention time for the individual analyte. Compared to the conventional GC system, the OFRR μGC has the advantage of small size, rapid response, and high selectivity over a short length of column.

scholarly journals Stability and Selective Vapor Sensing of Structurally Colored Lepidopteran Wings Under Humid Conditions

Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (11) ◽  
pp. 3258
Author(s):  
Gábor Piszter ◽  
Krisztián Kertész ◽  
Zsolt Bálint ◽  
László Péter Biró
Keyword(s):  
Water Vapor ◽  
Volatile Organic Compounds ◽  
Organic Compounds ◽  
Color Change ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Time Dependent ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Vapor Sensing ◽  
Volatile Organic

Biological photonic nanoarchitectures are capable of rapidly and chemically selectively sensing volatile organic compounds due to changing color when exposed to such vapors. Here, stability and the vapor sensing properties of butterfly and moth wings were investigated by optical spectroscopy in the presence of water vapor. It was shown that repeated 30 s vapor exposures over 50 min did not change the resulting optical response signal in a time-dependent manner, and after 5-min exposures the sensor preserved its initial properties. Time-dependent response signals were shown to be species-specific, and by using five test substances they were also shown to be substance-specific. The latter was also evaluated using principal component analysis, which showed that the time-dependent optical responses can be used for real-time analysis of the vapors. It was demonstrated that the capability to detect volatile organic compounds was preserved in the presence of water vapor: high-intensity color change signals with short response times were measured in 25% relative humidity, similar to the one-component case; therefore, our results can contribute to the development of biological photonic nanoarchitecture-based vapor detectors for real-world applications, like living and working environments.

scholarly journals Polystyrene Opals Responsive to Methanol Vapors

Materials ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 1547 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Burratti ◽  
Mauro Casalboni ◽  
Fabio De Matteis ◽  
Roberto Pizzoferrato ◽  
Paolo Prosposito
Keyword(s):  
Photonic Crystals ◽  
Capillary Condensation ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Incident Angle ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Energy Shift ◽  
Reflectance Spectra ◽  
Vapor Concentration ◽  
Alcohol Vapor ◽  
Vapor Sensing

Photonic crystals (PCs) show reflectance spectra depending on the geometrical structure of the crystal, the refractive index (neff), and the light incident angle, according to the Bragg-Snell law. Three-dimensional photonic crystals (3D-PCs) composed of polymeric sub-micrometer spheres, are arranged in an ordered face cubic centered (fcc) lattice and are good candidates for vapor sensing by exploiting changes of the reflectance spectra. We synthesized high quality polystyrene (PS) 3D-PCs, commonly called opals, with a filling factor f near to the ideal value of 0.74 and tested their optical response in the presence of different concentrations of methanol (MeOH) vapor. When methanol was present in the voids of the photonic crystals, the reflectance spectra experienced energy shifts. The concentration of methyl alcohol vapor can be inferred, due to a linear dependence of the reflectance band maximum wavelength as a function of the vapor concentration. We tested the reversibility of the process and the time stability of the system. A limit of detection (LOD) equal to 5% (v/v0), where v was the volume of methanol and v0 was the total volume of the solution (methanol and water), was estimated. A model related to capillary condensation for intermediate and high methanol concentrations was discussed. Moreover, a swelling process of the PS spheres was invoked to fully understand the unexpected energy shift found for very high methanol content.

Toward bioinspired nanostructures for selective vapor sensing: diverse vapor-induced spectral responses within iridescent scales of Morpho butterflies

2014 ◽  
Vol 1621 ◽  
pp. 197-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy A. Starkey ◽  
Peter Vukusic ◽  
Radislav A. Potyrailo
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Evaluation ◽  
Photonic Structures ◽  
Vapor Sensing ◽  
New Ideas ◽  
Spectral Responses ◽  
Wing Scales

ABSTRACTThe iridescent colors of Morpho butterflies have captured scientific intrigue for over a century. However, only recently photonic structures of the wing scales of Morpho butterflies have inspired new ideas in the diverse areas of technology including sensing. In this study, we performed theoretical and experimental evaluation of vapor-induced reflectance changes of the Morpho scales. These experiments provided additional details of the origin and the magnitude of vapor response selectivity in these natural photonic nanostructures and facilitated our design and fabrication of highly selective biomimetic photonic nanostructures.

AN ISOPIESTIC INVESTIGATION OF CHARCOAL ACTIVATION

1949 ◽  
Vol 27b (2) ◽  
pp. 101-115
Author(s):  
S. Barnartt ◽  
J. B. Ferguson
Keyword(s):  
Capillary Condensation ◽  
Relative Rate ◽  
Saturation Pressure ◽  
Isopiestic Method ◽  
Activation Process ◽  
Steam Activation ◽  
Sorption Data ◽  
Straight Lines ◽  
Low Pressures ◽  
Chemically Selective

The isopiestic method was used to study the sorption of carbon tetrachloride, water, methanol, and toluene by a series of charcoals representing the same coconut shell source at different stages of steam activation. The sorption of water by two charcoals of this series impregnated with benzoic acid was similarly investigated. The isopiestic charges of this activation series of charcoals were linearly related over wider pressure ranges than were those of unrelated charcoals. The activation process was found to be connected primarily with the principal pressure range over which single straight lines were obtained on plotting the isopiestic charges one against the other. The isopiestic data presented the following picture of charcoal activation. The activation process has created surfaces, probably of a heterogeneous character, which are active to all the four vapors studied. At any stage of activation these surfaces take up proportionate quantities, but not equal liquid volumes, of each sorbate at saturation pressure. The various types of surfaces increase in abundance with activation at the same relative rate, so that they are always present in the charcoal in the same relative proportions, up to a certain stage of activation. At this stage the production of the surfaces active at relatively low pressures begins to decline. This indicates that new pores are being created more slowly in comparison with the widening of existing pores. In addition to the active surfaces just described, the activation process produces some chemically selective centers which are active at minute relative pressures. The water sorption data discredit the theory of capillary condensation.

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