A colorimetric receptor combined with a microcantilever sensor for explosive vapor detection

Substantial effort has been devoted to the synthesis of molecular receptors that can function as chemosensors for nitroaromatic explosives. In spite of several advantages, these receptors suffer from low sensitivity and difficulties translating the response into the gas phase. We have combined tetrathiafulvalene-functionalized calix [4] pyrrole, a colorimetric receptor, with a polyimide microcantilever, that includes a mechanical stress sensing element. The resulting system is capable of detecting 10 ppb trinitrobenzene vapor. This represents a 30-fold improvement relative to the receptor in halogenated solvents, suggesting that this approach can provide a solution to translating the chemical response of colorimetric chemosensors into practical devices. (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.356701]