Next generation chemiresistive sensors for real-time trace gas detection

Overview

Wyonano, LLC is advancing chemiresistive sensor technology to enable real-time, trace-level gas detection in a portable, battery-operated field instrument. The approach combines recently reported impedance measurement techniques with molecular sieve coatings to extend the capabilities of existing chemiresistive sensors. By replacing traditional resistance measurements with impedance-based readings and applying selective molecular sieve layers, the technology aims to deliver high sensitivity and selectivity for challenging gases such as CO2, CH4, and N2O at atmospheric conditions. The solution targets environmental monitoring, emissions tracking, and field-based analytical applications where compact, affordable, and reliable gas sensing is needed.

Technical specifications

Core approach:

• Impedance-based measurement technique applied to chemiresistive sensors for improved sensitivity compared to conventional resistance-based methods
• Molecular sieve coatings designed to achieve high selectivity through molecular-level filtering of target gases
• Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) sensor components adapted for field deployment
• Battery-operated, portable data logger design with wireless or cellular data-to-cloud connectivity
• Adaptation of an existing Wyonano data-to-cloud platform for measurement validation and data consolidation

Target gases and applications:

• Phase 1 focus on CO2 and CH4 detection using COTS sensors
• Phase 2 development of a molecular sieve coating for N2O, a gas that is currently very difficult to measure
• Potential expansion to additional molecular sieves for improved selectivity across other gases of interest

Technology readiness level

The project is structured in two phases. Phase 1 involves designing and testing a field-portable gas sensing data logger using commercially available sensors for CO2 and CH4, with the goal of validating the impedance measurement approach under real-world conditions. Phase 2 focuses on developing a molecular sieve coating for N2O detection in collaboration with researchers at the University of Wyoming. Wyonano brings over 20 years of experience developing field instruments based on optical, acoustic, and pressure-based sensing technologies, positioning the team to translate laboratory innovations into commercial products. The technology is currently at an early-to-mid stage of development, with initial hardware validation planned as the next milestone.