On-Board Diagnostic Sensor for Respirator Breakthrough

Details

• Personal Author:
  Benstock EJ ; Deininger DJ ; Hooker SA ; Miremadi BK ; Williams SS
• Description:
  Nanomaterials Research has demonstrated the feasibility of developing an extremely sensitive, low temperature, low cost, and miniaturized chemiresistive sensor that can be mounted inside a respirator to warn users when toxic organic vapors are present inside the respirator. This sensor can alert the wearer when the respirator's filter cartridge is defective, when the respirator does not fit properly, or when the respirator has been compromised for any other reason. Current methods of predicting filter breakthrough are inexact and inefficient, so the development of a real-time, quantitative respirator sensor is an important achievement. The Nanomaterials Research VOC sensor is based upon novel materials selection (including polymers and nano-scale ceramic powders) which overcomes present limitations of solid state sensor technology including: high operating temperature (300-400 degrees C), significant power consumption (a result of the high operating temperature) and poor reproducibility from one sensor to the next. The development of new and unique polymer and ceramic composite materials for sensors has resulted in a sensor that is responsive to a wide range of toxic organic gases. If developed into a product, this sensor technology can result in dramatically increased levels of worker protection as well as significant cost savings because filter cartridges can be used more efficiently. During the Phase I feasibility study, prototype nano-composite sensors were prepared and packaged using a commercial electronics package. These sensors were fully characterized for their response to a variety of VOCs including toluene, propanol, tetrahydrofuran (THF) and methyl ethyl ketone (MEK). The sensors were tested under a variety of conditions, including varying humidity, oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. The sensor response was excellent throughout the testing. Planned improvements in fabrication and packaging will lead to a low-cost, reliable sensor that is capable of operating on approximately 30mW of power. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Air Pollutants, Occupational Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Respiratory Protective Devices Safety
• Keywords:
  Air-purifying-respirators Monitoring-systems Nanotechnology Organic-compounds Organic-vapors Personal-protective-equipment Respirators Respiratory-protective-equipment
• Series:
  Grant Final Reports
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Final Grant Report
• Place as Subject:
  Colorado ; OSHA Region 8
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  OEP - Office of Extramural Programs
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-20
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20023839
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB2012-109002
• Citation:
  Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, R43-OH-004174, 2001 Aug; :1-20
• Contact Point Address:
  NANOMaterials Research, 2021 Miller Drive, Longmont, Colorado 80501
• CAS Registry Number:
  1-Propanol (CAS RN 71-23-8) ; Tetrahydrofuran (CAS RN 109-99-9) ; Toluene (CAS RN 108-88-3)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2001
• NORA Priority Area:
  Research Tools and Approaches: Control Technology and Personal Protective Equipment
• Performing Organization:
  NanoMaterials Research, Longmont, Colorado
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20000930
• Source Full Name:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• End Date:
  20010630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:d45e91448e93224d05ac3d2aba5e58a70aa8a3b518a6c29efa993ac8ec7a232c7bfcd0e551cc6c4c90e3dcdc7bfef02c837ab8e2607284f29d3d77d2ea891543
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/218159/cdc_218159_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 566.22 KB ]