Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Based Antenna Sensor for Methanol Vapor Sensing

We report a state-of-the-art molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) based antenna sensor to detect methanol vapor at room temperature. A conductive MIP-graphite composite was synthesized with specificity to methanol and deposited on a 3.6 GHz resonant patch antenna by drop coating. The copper-layered antenna with affinity composite worked in tandem to produce a sensitive and selective room temperature antenna sensor. Continuous sensing was accomplished by monitoring the reflected power,
$S_{11}$
, of the antenna in a chamber with methanol vapor. The sensor functions under ambient conditions, providing a strong
$S_{11}$
response of approximately
$554\,\,\mu \text {mol} \text {dm}^{-3}\text {dB}^{-1}$
. Thus, the proposed sensor has great potential in gas-sensing applications, paving the way for antenna-based pollution monitoring.