Plasma-assisted cataluminescence sensor array for gaseous hydrocarbons discrimination

Area of Science:

• Chemical Sensors
• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Cataluminescence (CTL) sensors typically exhibit low activity for gaseous hydrocarbons.
• Plasma activation offers a potential method to enhance CTL responses.
• Accurate detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in breath is crucial for non-invasive disease diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a plasma-assisted cataluminescence (PA-CTL) sensor array for enhanced sensing and discrimination of gaseous hydrocarbons.
• To evaluate the potential of PA-CTL sensors for the rapid diagnosis of lung cancer.
• To investigate the use of alkaline-earth nanomaterials in PA-CTL sensor arrays.

Main Methods:

• Generation of low-temperature plasma using dielectric barrier discharge to activate gaseous hydrocarbons.
• Fabrication of a 4x3 PA-CTL sensor array using alkaline-earth nanomaterials.
• Testing of exhaled breath samples from lung cancer patients and healthy donors.

Main Results:

• Achieved significantly enhanced CTL responses with a plasma assistance factor of infinity (∞) for some hydrocarbons.
• Demonstrated robust and unique CTL response patterns for effective discrimination of gaseous hydrocarbons.
• Successfully discriminated between exhaled breath samples from lung cancer patients and healthy donors.
• Confirmed feasibility of multidimensional detection based on temperature.
• Reported good reproducibility and a wide linear range (65-6500 ng/mL) for CH4 detection with a low limit of detection (33 ng/mL) on MgO.

Conclusions:

• The PA-CTL sensor array provides a simple, low-cost, and effective method for fast sensing and discrimination of gaseous hydrocarbons.
• This technology holds significant potential for the clinical diagnosis of lung cancer.
• The use of abundant, non-toxic alkaline-earth nanomaterials expands the application of CTL-based sensor arrays.