2023-10-04 13:00:44
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have succeeded in creating optical hydrogen sensors using 3D printed plasmonic plastic. An experiment which opens up numerous application perspectives.
What is plasmonic plastic? It is a mixture, or composite, of plasmonic metal nanoparticles and polymer. Plasmonic metal nanoparticles have been used for around twenty years for various uses which take advantage of their strong interaction with light, in the medical and chemical sectors in particular. However, plasmonic metal nanoparticles were mainly used on flat surfaces and their production took place in complex laboratory clean rooms. The Chalmers academics’ research started from the desire to produce large quantities of plasmonic metal nanoparticles in the form of three-dimensional plasmonic objects and respecting the principles of sustainable development. Thus, plastic was chosen for its flexibility, the savings it allowed, the possibilities for improving the products it offered as well as for its ability to be printed in 3D.
Plasmonic plastic filament (photo credits: Malin Arnesson/Chalmers)
The project proved successful and the material produced made it possible to print very light objects (less than a gram) or heavier objects, up to several kilos. The application that the Chalmers University researchers focused on was the creation of plasmonic sensors capable of detecting hydrogen. Being able to 3D print this type of optical sensors made from plasmons constitutes a significant innovation. “Different types of sensors are needed to accelerate the development of medicine or the use of hydrogen as an alternative carbon-free fuel. The interaction between the polymer and the nanoparticles is the key factor when these sensors are made from plasmonic plastic. In sensors, this type of plastic not only enables additive manufacturing (3D printing) as well as the scalability of the materials manufacturing process, but also has the important function of filtering out all but the smallest molecules – in our application, these are the hydrogen molecules that we want to detect. This prevents the sensor from becoming deactivated over time,” says Christoph Langhammer, professor in the Department of Physics and head of the project. “The sensor is designed so that the metal nanoparticles change color when they come into contact with hydrogen because they absorb the gas like a sponge. The color change alerts you immediately if the hydrogen level gets too high, which is essential when dealing with hydrogen gas. At too high levels, it becomes flammable when mixed with air,” explains Christoph Langhammer.
This study opens the way to numerous other application cases, notably in the medical sector and that of wearable technologies (clothing or accessories which include advanced computer and electronic elements) but also in the field of “standard” fashion and art.
To learn more regarding the study, click ICI.
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*Cover photo: a sensor element, which contains palladium metal nanoparticles – credits: Malin Arnesson/Chalmers
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