Next Dimension Technologies proposes to develop and commercialize a chemiresistive-based sensor system that can detect offgassing of batteries that are commonly used in naval applications. The specific focus of the project will be to develop a sensor array with sub-ppm sensitivity towards gaseous analytes associated with standard battery operation and malfunction. The sensitivity and performance characteristics of the sensor array, which will consist of novel organometallic and nanoparticle composite films, will be evaluated against a series of representative battery offgassing vapors under various environmental conditions. In an optional extension period, the sensors will be tested and optimized using actual vapors generated from real batteries under various operating conditions. In a continuing Phase II effort, the company will design and build an integrated prototype, optimize the system for real world conditions, and evaluate the performance attributes and operational limits of the detection system in field tests.
Benefit: Battery power systems are ubiquitous in naval and other military applications, and the failure of these systems can result in cataclysmic safety repercussions or negative mission outcomes. The technology to be developed in this project will result in an inexpensive, versatile sensor that can monitor the functional status of batteries used in many critical Navy functions, such as torpedo and missile systems. The sensor technology will also be broadly applicable to battery monitoring in major commercial applications such as interruptible power supply monitoring for computer backup systems.
Keywords: Battery, Battery, Arrays, vapors, Sensors, detection, Safety
