Abstract :
Fast and reliable on-line detection of organic vapors for control of chemical processes is a challenging application for a new type of analytical instruments: sensor systems based on an array of differently selective chemical sensors. In this work we present the use of masssensitive polymer coated surface acoustic wave sensors (SAWs). The sensors were initially coated with a standard set of polymers consisting of a known composition. But this first approach could not meet all requirements. Therefore, a new class of commercially available polymer coating, namely adhesives, was developed. The coating procedure was optimized and the aging process of the adhesives was carefully investigated. As a result the selectivity for ambitious separation problems arising from similar polarity of the components of typical solvent mixtures could be remarkably increased. The system was then applied in a real testing environment application at a chemical plant: the fast on-line control of a preparative reversed phase process HPLC (RP-PHPLC). Data from this industrial application are shown.
