Environmental sensor

Abstract

A method of forming a sensor includes providing a substrate, forming a polymer aerogel layer on the substrate, and infusing the polymer aerogel layer with sensing molecules.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of forming a sensor, comprising:
 providing a substrate;   forming a polymer aerogel layer on the substrate; and   infusing the polymer aerogel layer with sensing molecules.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein infusing the porous aerogel layer with sensing molecules comprises soaking the polymer aerogel layer in a solution of sensing molecules mixed with a solvent. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a porous polymer used to form the polymer aerogel layer is kept in solution before infusion with the solution of sensing molecules mixed with a solvent 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing molecules are present in the solvent at the time of polymer gel formation from polymer precursors. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising evaporating the solvent. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein infusing the polymer, aerogel layer comprises printing a solution of sensing molecules and a solvent onto the polymer, aerogel layer. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising evaporating the solvent. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein infusing the polymer, aerogel layer with sensing molecules comprising arranging different sensing molecules in any spatial pattern to produce an array of different types of sensing molecules on the polymer aerogel layer. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the different sensing molecules respond to different target molecules. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the different sensing molecules respond to different concentrations of target molecules. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the pattern is created by printing the sensing material from an ink containing sensing molecules onto the aerogel. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein infusing the polymer aerogel layer with sensing molecules comprises polymerizing in the presence of the sensing molecules during the forming of the polymer aerogel. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein infusing the polymer aerogel layer with sensing molecules comprises chemically grafting the sensing molecules onto polymer walls one of either during or after the forming of the polymer aerogel. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein infusing the polymer aerogel layer with sensing molecules comprises copolymerizing with polymer aerogel monomers during the forming of the polymer aerogel. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein infusing the polymer aerogel layer with sensing molecules comprises forming a polymer aerogel layer on the substrate from a solution containing sensing molecules. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein forming the polymer aerogel layer on the substrate from the solution comprising polymerizable groups and functional groups to enable compatibilization with the sensed compound of interest.