Design and Simulation of a Microcantilever Sensor for Precise Detection of Volatile Organic Compounds

Abstract

This study presents the coating of a thin film of conducting polymer on a silicon cantilever sensor. The mechanical changes in the coated microcantilever, a bimaterial, were investigated when various volatile substances, such as methanol, ethanol, acetone, propanol, dichloroethane, and toluene were added. The results showed that the coated microcantilever is much more sensitive than the uncoated one. The maximum sensitivity observed was 40.14 kHz/ppm, demonstrating a 33.8% improvement over existing systems. Findings revealed that the maximum sensitivity achieved with the proposed sensor was 83%, and the overall improvement was 6.41%. The sensors' responses were found to be reversible, sensible, fast, and proportional to the volatile concentration.