Quantitative vapor analysis using the transient response of non-selective thick-film tin oxide gas sensors

Discusses a new method of quantitatively analyzing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using both transient and steady-state responses of a thick-film tin oxide gas sensor array. An array of four TGS-type, non-selective, SnO/sub 2/ gas sensors and pattern recognition techniques are combined to discriminate and quantify single vapors and binary mixtures of ethanol, toluene and o-xylene. Our system recognizes the single vapors studied with a success rate of 100% and quantifies the identified vapor with a success rate of 95%. Concerning the analysis of binary mixtures, the system quantifies the previously identified mixture with a success rate of 83%.