US 11,892,429 B2
Detector for detecting analytes in gas phase comprising porous dielectric or semiconducting sorbent and corresponding detection method
Tanya Hutter, Cambridge (GB); and William Thomas Winter, Cambridge (GB)
Assigned to SENSORHUT LTD, Cambridge (GB)
Appl. No. 17/608,667
Filed by SENSORHUT LTD, Cambridge (GB)
PCT Filed Apr. 22, 2020, PCT No. PCT/GB2020/050996
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 3, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/225527, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 12, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 1906433 (GB), filed on May 7, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0236222 A1, Jul. 28, 2022
Int. Cl. G01N 27/64 (2006.01); G01N 1/24 (2006.01); G01N 1/40 (2006.01); G01N 1/42 (2006.01); G01N 1/44 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 27/64 (2013.01) [G01N 1/24 (2013.01); G01N 1/405 (2013.01); G01N 1/4022 (2013.01); G01N 1/42 (2013.01); G01N 1/44 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A detector for detecting analytes in gas-phase, comprising:
a first sorbent of a set of sorbents, wherein the first sorbent comprises and/or is a microporous and/or mesoporous dielectric or semiconducting material such as silica or silicon, a zeolite, activated carbon and/or a metal organic framework, MOF, for sorbing therein and/or thereon and/or desorbing therefrom, a first analyte of a set of analytes included in a first gas of a set of gases exposed thereto, at a zeroth temperature, pressure (T0, P0) of a set of temperatures, pressures (T, P), wherein the first gas is ambient air;
a cooler configured to cool the first sorbent to the zeroth temperature (T0);
a controller configured to change the zeroth temperature, pressure (T0, P0) to a first temperature, pressure (T1, P1) of the set of temperatures, pressures (T, P) according to a first equation of a set of equations, to desorb and/or sorb at least some of the first analyte; and
a sensor configured to sense at least some of the first analyte and to output a first response of a set of responses corresponding to the sensed first analyte, wherein the sensor comprises and/or is a broadband analyte detector such as a photoionization detector, PID;
wherein the detector is configured to obtain a first baseline response of a set of baseline responses at the zeroth temperature, pressure (T0, P0) and wherein the controller is configured to modify the first response based, at least in part, on the obtained first baseline response; and
wherein the first response comprises and/or is a first characteristic response of a set of characteristic responses of the first analyte.