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US 2026/0063584 A1Published application
Heavy metal sensing using carbon fiber electrode
AssigneesBoard of Trustees of Michigan State University, Fraunhofer USA, Inc.
InventorsWen LI, James Siegenthaler, G M Hasan Ui Banna, Tumi Olason, Mohammad Kafi Kangi
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Abstract
A carbon fiber electrode apparatus is provided. In another aspect, a method of manufacturing a carbon fiber electrode system is provided. A further aspect includes a method of using a carbon fiber electrode system to sense heavy metal in a fluid and/or soil.
Claims25
A sensor apparatus comprising:
- a sample reservoir including a soil inlet and an outlet;
- a buffer reservoir including a buffer inlet and outlet;
- at least one pump connected to the outlets of the sample reservoir and the buffer reservoir;
- a mixer connected to an output of the at least one pump;
- a potentiostat coupled to a working electrode removably secured to a wall by a first fastener;
- a housing defining an enclosed basin therein configured to receive a soil and buffer mixture from the sample reservoir and a liquid from the buffer reservoir;
- a wall removably attached to the housing;
- a reference electrode removably secured to the wall by a second fastener;
- a counter electrode removably secured to the wall by a third fastener;
- and
- distal ends of the electrodes being located internally in the basin and configured to be in contact with the mixture;
- the working electrode comprising a bundle of carbon fibers bonded together as a rod assembly.
9 more elements
A sensor apparatus comprising:
- a portable plate;
- a housing mounted to the plate and including three cavities therein an enclosed basin therein, the basin being configured to receive a sample which operably flows therethrough;
- a working electrode removably secured within one of the cavities of the housing by at least one fastener, with a distal end of the working electrode located in the basin;
- a reference electrode removably secured within one of the cavities of the housing by the at least one fastener, with a distal end of the reference electrode located in the basin;
- a counter electrode removably secured within one of the cavities of the housing by the at least one fastener, with a distal end of the counter electrode located in the basin;
- the working electrode including a bundle of carbon fibers, each of which includes 50 to 16,300 carbon fiber strands;
- at least one of the carbon fibers having a diameter of 0.94 mm to 0.28 mm;
- an insulating polymer securing together the carbon fibers;
- and
- a programmable controller automatically determining a type of heavy metal or arsenic detected in the sample.
7 more elements
A sensor apparatus comprising a heavy-metal sensing, working electrode further comprising:
- elongated carbon fibers configured in a bundle with a laser-cut sensing end;
- at least one of the carbon fibers having a diameter of 0.94 mm to 0.28 mm;
- and
- an insulating polymer securing together the carbon fibers, each of which includes 50 to 16,300 carbon fiber strands.
1 more element
A software program for a sensor apparatus, the software program being stored in non-transient memory, the software program comprising:
- a first set of instructions configured to establish a communication interface between the working electrode, reference electrode, counter electrode and a user interface;
- a second set of instructions configured to send input parameters to a potentiostat;
- a third set of instructions configured to energize at least one pump to flow a soil solution;
- a fourth set of instructions configured to energize at least one of the electrodes and to detect electrical output data from at least one of the electrodes in contact with the soil solution;
- a fifth set of instructions configured to use the potentiostat to map the data and automatically generating a graphical map on a user interface;
- and
- a sixth set of instructions configured to automatically determine a presence of and a type of heavy metal detected.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.