Multi-analyte detection of chemical species using a conducting polymer nanowire-based sensor array platform

This paper proposes a novel sensing platform for a conducting polymer nanowire-based chemiresistive sensor array for multi-analyte detection capability. In order to create a cross-reactive sensor array with each individual sensor having partial selectivity, distinct catalytic nanoparticles are incorporated into each sensing element resulting in a unique response from each sensor when exposed to a specific analyte. Based on the chemiresistive signal responses from the sensor array, a pattern recognition algorithm is applied to simultaneously differentiate one chemical species from another within a sample containing a mixture of analyte species. As a demonstration of the concept, the proposed sensor array was tested for the simultaneous classification and quantification of three chemical species: ascorbic acid, dopamine, and hydrogen peroxide. A highly conductive polyaniline nanowire network was used as a generic chemiresistive sensing platform for the device. Each sensor in the array responded distinctly with partial selectivity to each analyte, and hence provided a unique fingerprint response for the given composition of the sample solution. The results suggest that this technique can be applied either as an electronic nose or as an electronic tongue for the simultaneous classification and quantification of individual species within a mixture of a large number of chemical analyte