NanoExpo

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NanoExpo – Nanobalance detectors for individual-related measure-ments of nanoparticle exposures

The practical assessment of exposure to nanoscale aerosols that are released from synthetic materials requires a novel measurement technology based on easy-to-operate, robust sensors that are ready for use instantly after switch-on. Since currently suitable nanoparticle detectors for continuous personal and mobile measurements of workplace exposure to synthetic nanoparticles (NP) are not available at an acceptable price of less than 500€, the realisation of this approach calls for a compromise between sensor performance and sensor price.

Within the NanoExpo joint project a cantilever nanoparticle detector “Cantor” was developed that combines a microcontroller-controlled MEMS cantilever resonance balance with an electrophoretic nanoparticle separator. Determination of nanoparticle mass concentrations by means of Cantor is much faster than by means of conventional filter sampling and weighing. An upstream membrane filter or impactor ensures that no microparticles get into the measuring cell.

After calibration using the FMPS (fast mobility particle sizer), a measurement uncertainty of less than ±15% within a measurement range of 0-50µg/m3, and a detection limit of 6.5µg/m3 are achieved for carbon nanoparticles. The sampling time per measurement point is 2.4 min. The error of measurement remains at <15% in the case of variations in environmental conditions such as temperature (ΔT<1°C), humidity (ΔrF <10 %), and pressure (Δp<1kPa). The completely integrated setup with air intake, control and read-out electronics as well as LCD display weighs less than 400g. The life of the battery during continuous operation exceeds an eight-hour working shift.

The expected price of the device is particularly attractive: Due to the fact that the MEMS-manufactured cantilever balance is the only more expensive component, whereas the remaining components are standard parts, the component costs amount to only 200€. Considerable price reductions can be achieved by manufacturing larger quantities.

In an air-conditioned measurement chamber, comprehensive Cantor tests were carried out on carbon, TiO2 and SiO2 aerosols and cigarette smoke and e-cigarette vapour were analysed in the laboratory. After testing, Cantor can be easily dismantled and regenerated. Upon further optimisation of the cantilever balance and evaluation circuitry, rapid improvement is expected for parameters with a detection limit below 1µg/m3 and a sampling time of less than 1min as well as for weight and volume of the measurement cell.

Grant Number: BMBF - FKZ 03X0098
Duration: 01.05.2010 - 30.04.2013 (extended to 31.10.2013)

Project Lead

Institut für Halbleitertechnik, TU Braunschweig Logo
PD Dr. Erwin Peiner, TU Braunschweig, Institute of Semiconductor Technology

Project Partners

Institut für Halbleitertechnik, TU Braunschweig Logo
TU Braunschweig, Institute of Semiconductor Technology
Fraunhofer WKI Logo
Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research, Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institute (WKI)

Publications

2014

  • Merzsch, S., F. Steib, H. S. Wasisto, A. Stranz, P. Hinze, T. Weimann, E. Peiner, A. Waag (2014). "Production of vertical nanowire resonators by cryogenic-ICP–DRIE."Microsystem Technologies 20(4-5): 759-767.
  • Wasisto, H. S., K. Huang, S. Merzsch, A. Stranz, A. Waag, E. Peiner (2014). "Finite element modeling and experimental proof of NEMS-based silicon pillar resonators for nanoparticle mass sensing applications." Microsyst Technol 20(4-5): 571-584.
  • Wasisto, H. S., Q. Zhang, S. Merzsch, A. Waag, E. Peiner (2014). "A phase-locked loop frequency tracking system for portable microelectromechanical piezoresistive cantilever mass sensors." Microsyst Technol 20(4-5): 559-569.
  • Wasisto H.S., S. Merzsch, E. Uhde, T. Salthammer, A. Waag, E. Peiner (2014). Handheld Micromechanical Cantilever Mass Sensor for Early Detection of Carbon Nanoparticles. 17. ITG/GMA-Fachtagung "Sensoren und Messsysteme 2014", 3. - 4. Juni 2014, Nürnberg, Deutschland. ITG-Fachbericht Band 250, ISBN 978-3-8007-3622-5.
  • Wasisto H.S., S. Merzsch, F. Steib, E. Uhde, A. Waag, E. Peiner (2014). Surface-Enhanced Silicon Resonant Cantilever Sensors with Vertical Nanowires. 17. ITG/GMA-Fachtagung "Sensoren und Messsysteme 2014", 3. - 4. Juni 2014, Nürnberg, Deutschland. ITG-Fachbericht Band 250, ISBN 978-3-8007-3622-5.

2013

  • Wasisto, H. S., S. Merzsch, A. Waag, E. Uhde, T. Salthammer, E. Peiner (2013). "Airborne engineered nanoparticle mass sensor based on a silicon resonant cantilever." Sensor Actuat B-Chem 180: 77-89.
  • Qiu, H. C., P. Schwarz, D. Feili, S. Merzsch, E. Peiner, X. Z. Wu, H. Seidel (2013). "Electrical performance analysis and characterization of two port piezoelectric resonators." Microsyst Technol 19(8): 1131-1136.
  • Wasisto, H. S., S. Merzsch, A. Waag, E. Uhde, T. Salthammer, E. Peiner (2013). "Portable cantilever-based airborne nanoparticle detector." Sensor Actuat B-Chem 187: 118-127.
  • Wasisto, H. S., S. Merzsch, A. Stranz, A. Waag, E. Uhde, T. Salthammer, E. Peiner (2013). "Silicon resonant nanopillar sensors for airborne titanium dioxide engineered nanoparticle mass detection." Sensor Actuat B-Chem 189(0): 146-156.
  • Wasisto, H. S., A. Stranz, E. Peiner, A. Waag, E. Uhde, S. Merzsch, T. Salthammer (2013). "Femtogram aerosol nanoparticle mass sensing utilising vertical silicon nanowire resonators." Micro & Nano Letters 8(10): 554-558.
  • Wasisto, H. S., S. Merzsch, A. Stranz, A. Waag, E. Uhde, T. Salthammer, E. Peiner (2013). "Silicon Nanowire Resonators: Aerosol Nanoparticle Mass Sensing in the Workplace." IEEE Nanotechnology Magazine 7(2): 18-23.
  • Wasisto, H. S., S. Merzsch, A. Waag, E. Uhde, T. Salthammer, E. Peiner (2013). "Evaluation of photoresist-based nanoparticle removal method for recycling silicon cantilever mass sensors." Sensor Actuat A-Phys 202(0): 90-99.

2012

  • Merzsch, S., H. S. Wasisto, A. Waag, I. Kirsch, E. Uhde, T. Salthammer, E. Peiner (2012). "Cleaning of structured templates from nanoparticle accumulation using silicone." Microsyst Technol 18(7-8): 835-842.
  • Wasisto, H. S., S. Merzsch, A. Waag, I. Kirsch, E. Uhde, T. Salthammer, E. Peiner (2012). "Determination of exposure to engineered carbon nanoparticles using a self-sensing piezoresistive silicon cantilever sensor." Microsyst Technol 18(7-8): 905-915.
  • Wasisto, H. S., S. Merzsch, A. Stranz, A. Waag, E. Uhde, T. Salthammer, E. Peiner (2012). "Femtogram Mass Measurement of Airborne Engineered Nanoparticles using Silicon Nanopillar Resonators." Procedia Engineering 47(0): 289-292.
  • Wasisto, H. S., S. Merzsch, A. Waag, I. Kirsch, E. Uhde, T. Salthammer, E. Peiner (2012). "Effect of Photoresist Coating on the Reusable Resonant Cantilever Sensors for Assessing Exposure to Airborne Nanoparticles." Procedia Engineering 47(0): 302-305.

2011

2010

  • Manzaneque, T., J. Hernando-García, A. Ababneh, H. Seidel, ue. Soekmen, E. Peiner, U. Schmid, J. L. Sánchez-Rojas (2010). "Quality factor enhancement in AlN-actuated MEMS by velocity feedback loop." Procedia Engineering 5(0): 1494-1497.
  • Soekmen, UE., A. Stranz, A. Waag, A. Ababneh, H. Seidel, U. Schmid, E. Peiner (2010). "Evaluation of resonating Si cantilevers sputter-deposited with AlN piezoelectric thin films for mass sensing applications." J Micromech Microeng 20(6): 064007
  • Peiner, E. (2010). Winzlingen auf der Spur – Nanodetektoren sollen den Umgang mit Nanopartikeln sicherer machen. GIT Labor-Fachzeitschrift 11/2010 835.

2014

  • Wasisto H.S, S. Merzsch, E. Uhde, A. Waag, E. Peiner (2014). Fully Integrated Personal Airborne Nanoparticle Detector Based on Microelectromechanical Resonant Cantilever. 40th International Micro and Nano Engineering Conference (MNE 2014), September 22-26, Lausanne, Schweiz.
  • Wasisto H.S, A. Waag, S. Merzsch, E. Uhde, E. Peiner (2014). Cantilever Micro Balance as Nanoparticle Exposure Monitor. 25th Micromechanics and Microsystems Europe workshop (MME 2014), August 31-September 3, 2014, Istanbul, Turkei.
  • Wasisto H.S., S. Merzsch, E. Uhde, T. Salthammer, A. Waag, E. Peiner (2014). Handheld Micromechanical Cantilever Mass Sensor for Early Detection of Carbon Nanoparticles. 17. ITG/GMA-Fachtagung "Sensoren und Messsysteme 2014", 3. - 4. Juni 2014, Nürnberg, Deutschland. ITG-Fachbericht Band 250, ISBN 978-3-8007-3622-5.
  • Wasisto H.S., S. Merzsch, F. Steib, E. Uhde, A. Waag, E. Peiner (2014). Surface-Enhanced Silicon Resonant Cantilever Sensors with Vertical Nanowires. 17. ITG/GMA-Fachtagung "Sensoren und Messsysteme 2014", 3. - 4. Juni 2014, Nürnberg, Deutschland. ITG-Fachbericht Band 250, ISBN 978-3-8007-3622-5.Merzsch S., H. S. Wasisto, I. Kirsch, E. Peiner, and E. Uhde (2014). ”An integrated Personal Monitor for Engineered Nanoparticles”. Indoor Air 2014 - 13th Intern. Conf. Indoor Air Quality and Climate, Juli 7-12, 2014, Hong Kong, China. [Vortrag]
  • Wasisto H. S., S. Merzsch, F. Steib, A. Waag, E. Peiner (2014). "In-Plane-Excited Silicon Nanowire Arrays-Patterned Cantilever Sensors for Enhanced Airborne Particulate Matter Exposure Detection". Proc. 9th Ann. IEEE Intern. Conf. Nano/Micro Engineered and Molecular Systems (IEEE NEMS 2014), 13.-16. April 2014, Waikiki Beach, Hawaii-USA. [Vortrag]

2013

  • Merzsch S., H. S. Wasisto, A. Stranz, P. Hinze, T. Weimann, E. Peiner, and A. Waag (2013). "Fabrication of vertical nanowire resonators for aerosol exposure assessment". Smart Sensors, Actuators and MEMS VI in SPIE Intern.l Symp. Microtechnologies, 87630V, 24–26 April 2013, Grenoble, Frankreich. [Vortrag]
  • Wasisto HS., Q. Zhang, S. Merzsch, A. Waag, and E. Peiner (2013). "A closed-loop system for frequency tracking of piezoresistive cantilever sensors". Smart Sensors, Actuators and MEMS VI in SPIE Intern.l Symp. Microtechnologies, 876337, 24–26 April 2013, Grenoble, Frankreich. [Poster]
  • Wasisto HS., S. Merzsch, A. Waag, and E. Peiner (2013). "MEMS-based silicon cantilevers with integrated electrothermal heaters for airborne ultrafine particle sensing". Smart Sensors, Actuators and MEMS VI in SPIE Intern.l Symp. Microtechnologies, 87632L, 24–26 April 2013, Grenoble, Frankreich. [Poster]
  • Wasisto HS., S. Merzsch, K. Huang, A. Stranz, A. Waag, and E. Peiner (2013). "Simulation and characterization of silicon nanopillar-based nanoparticle sensors". Smart Sensors, Actuators and MEMS VI in SPIE Intern.l Symp. Microtechnologies, 876321, 24–26 April 2013, Grenoble, Frankreich. [Poster]
  • Merzsch S., T. Salthammer, H. S. Wasisto, I. Kirsch, E. Uhde, A. Waag, and E. Peiner (2013). "A personal sampler for direct mass determination of nano-particles using a resonant cantilever sensor". Proc. 2013 NSTI Nanotechnol. Conf. and Expo, NSTI-Nanotech 2013, Vol. 2, pp. 123-126; ISBN: 978-1-4822-0584-8. [Vortrag]
  • Wasisto HS., S. Merzsch, A. Stranz, A. Waag, E. Uhde, T. Salthammer, E. Peiner (2013). "Silicon Nanowire Resonators for Aerosol Nanoparticle Mass Sensing". Proc. 8th Ann. IEEE Intern. Conf. Nano/Micro Engineered and Molecular Systems (IEEE NEMS 2013), April 7-10, Suzhou, China. [Vortrag]

2012

  • Merzsch S., J. Kaehler, H. S. Wasisto, L. Doering, U. Brand, E. Peiner, A. Waag (2012). “Silicon based sensors and functional components fabricated by ICP-RIE cryogenic dry etching”. Proc. 23rd MME 2012, September 9-12, 2012, Ilmenau, Deutschland. [Poster]
  • Wasisto HS., S. Merzsch, A. Waag, E. Uhde, I. Kirsch, and E. Peiner (2012). „Selective electrostatic deposition of airborne engineered nanoparticles on a patterned substrate of silicon cantilever sensor”. 2012 European Aerosol Conference (EAC2012), 2-7 September 2012, Granada, Spanien. [Poster]
  • Merzsch S., H.S. Wasisto, E. Peiner, I.Kirsch and E. Uhde (2012). "A MEMS sensor based personal sampler for ultrafine particles". 2012 European Aerosol Conference (EAC 2012), 2-7 Sept. 2012, Granada, Spanien. [Vortrag]
  • Merzsch S., H. S. Wasisto, A. Waag, I. Kirsch, E. Uhde, T. Salthammer, E. Peiner (2012). "Recycling of cantilevers for nanoparticle detection by lift-off technique". Proc. 14th International Meeting on Chemical Sensors (IMCS12), pp. 916-919, 20-23. Mai 2012, Nuernberg, Deutschland. [Poster]
  • Wasisto HS., S. Merzsch , A. Waag, I. Kirsch, E. Uhde, T. Salthammer, E. Peiner (2012). "Silicon Cantilever Resonators Integrated with Portable Electrostatic Samplers for Sensing and Characterizing Engineered Nanoparticles in Workplace Air". Proc. 14th International Meeting on Chemical Sensors (IMCS 12), pp. 221-224, 20-23. Mai 2012, Nuernberg,  Deutschland. [Vortrag]

2011

  • Wasisto HS., S. Merzsch, A. Waag, I. Kirsch, E. Uhde, T. Salthammer and E. Peiner (2011). „Enhanced Airborne Nanoparticles Mass Sensing using a High-Mode Resonant Silicon Cantilever Sensor“. IEEE Sensors 2011 Conf., pp. 7736 – 739,28-31 Okt, Limerick, Irland. [Vortrag]
  • Wasisto HS., L. Doering, S. Merzsch, A. Waag and E. Peiner (2011). „Self-Exciting and Self-Sensing Resonant Cantilever Sensor for Improved Monitoring of Airborne Nanoparticles Exposure“. IEEE Sensors 2011 Conf., pp. 728 – 731, 28-31 Okt, Limerick, Irland. [Vortrag]
  • Merzsch S., H. S. Wasisto, A. Waag, I. Kirsch, E. Uhde, T. Salthammer, E. Peiner (2011). „Low-weight electrostatic sampler for airborne nanoparticles“. IEEE Sensors 2011 Conf., pp. 1177 – 1180, 28-31 Okt, Limerick, Irland. [Poster]
  • Wasisto HS., L. Doering, J. Kaehler, S. Merzsch, A. Waag and E. Peiner (2011). „Design and Modeling of Thermally Excited Microcantilever Sensors for Airborne Nanoparticles Mass Detection“. Mikrosystemtechnik-Kongress 2011, 10.-12. Oktober 2011, Darmstadt, VDE-Verlag, Berlin-Offenbach, 2011, ISBN 978-3-8007-3367-5, pp. 863-866. [Poster]
  • Uhde E., I. Kirsch, H. S. Wasisto, S. Merzsch, A. Waag, E. Peiner (2011). „Direct mass determination of ultrafine aerosols using a micro-scale sensor“. Indoor Air 2011 - 12th Intern. Conf. Indoor Air Quality and Climate, Juni 5-10, 2011, Austin, Texas-USA. [Vortrag]
  • Wasisto HS., S. Merzsch, A. Stranz, A. Waag, I. Kirsch, E. Uhde, T. Salthammer and E. Peiner (2011). „A resonant cantilever sensor for monitoring airborne nanoparticles”. Proc. Transducers’11, pp. 1116-1119, Juni 5-9, Peking, China. [Poster]Merzsch S., H. S. Wasisto, A. Waag, I. Kirsch, E. Uhde, T. Salthammer, E. Peiner (2011). „Cleaning of templates for nanoparticle collection by use of PDMS“. Bioelectronics, Biomedical, and Bio-inspired Systems / Nanotechnology in SPIE International Symposium on Microtechnolgies, Proc. SPIE 8068, 806819, 18-20 April 2011, Prag, Tschechien. [Poster]Wasisto HS., S. Merzsch, A. Stranz, A. Waag, I. Kirsch, E. Uhde, T. Salthammer and E. Peiner (2011). „Use of self-sensing piezoresistive Si cantilever sensor for determining carbon nanoparticles mass“. Smart Sensors, Actuators and MEMS in SPIE International Symposium on Microtechnolgies, Proc. SPIE 8066, 806623, 18-20 April 2011, Prag, Tschechien. [Poster]

 2010

  • Merzsch S., H. S. Wasisto, A. Waag und E. Peiner (2010). „Membran- und Cantileverherstellung mittels ICP Kryo-Tiefenaetzverfahren aus Silizium Bulk Material." Mikrosystemtechnik-Kongress 2011, 10.-12. Oktober 2010, Darmstadt, Deutschland, VDE-Verlag, Berlin-Offenbach, 2011, ISBN 978-3-8007-3367-5, pp. 527-530. [Poster]

  • Merzsch S., H. S. Wasisto, UE. Soekmen, A. Waag, E. Uhde, T. Salthammer, and E. Peiner (2010). „Mass measurement of nanoscale aerosol particles using a piezoelectrically actuated resonant sensor“. IEEE Sensors Conf. 2010, Open Poster B2P-Q9. [Poster]

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