Functionalized Polycyclic Aromatic Polymers for High Temperature Wireless Chemical Memory Threshold Sensors

A pair of new polymers, poly(di-t-butylacenaphthylene) (pTBAcN) and poly(dipropylacenaphthylene) (pPAcN), were made via Friedel-Crafts alkylation of polyacenaphthylene. These polymers exhibit thermal stability beyond 250 degrees C and solubility in excess of 25 wt % in aliphatic hydrocarbons. Films of pPAcN over 10 lam thick were successively applied to planar surfaces via brush coating. Chemical memory for a passive wire resonant sensor was utilized to detect aliphatic hydrocarbons in high temperature environments. The coated threshold sensor showed a lower, stable resonant frequency before and after exposure to water at 130 degrees C for 3 h and showed an increased triggered resonant frequency after aliphatic exposure, consistent with an uncoated sensor device.