Detection of Hypergolic Fuels with a Chemicapacitive Sensor Array

Accurate and reliable detection of hypergolic fuels is a vital component to the Kinetic Energy Interceptor (KEI) module of the U. S. Missile Defense Agency. Seacoast Science has developed a sensor that uses micromachined capacitors to measure the dielectric constant of a group of selectively absorbing materials. The interaction between target analyte and polymer modifies the dielectric properties (capacitance) of the material. Using an array of commercially available polymers, functionalized polysiloxanes and polycarbosilanes of varying architecture (starburst, hyperbranched, and dendritic) both substituted and unsubstituted hydrazines (Hydrazine, monomethyl hydrazine, and unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine) and nitrogen dioxide (nitrogen tetroxide mimic) were detected in the in the presence of water vapor or hydrocarbons as interferents.