Microcantilever sensors applications in the petroleum industry

Sensing applications in the petroleum industry pose unique challenges due to high viscosity and high refractive index of hydrocarbon fluids, which render many fluid-based techniques impractical. Real-time observation of adsorption, desorption, and competitive adsorption processes of long chain functionalized hydrocarbons onto activated cantilevers in static mode are shown. In addition, microcantilevers in dynamic mode are demonstrated to sense corrosion of very small (10ml) samples in fast (10 minutes) timescales.