Patent ID: 8178355

Claim:
A method of detecting a nitric oxide in a gaseous phase comprising: a) providing a liquid crystal assay device comprising at least one surface in contact with a liquid crystal composition comprising mesogens selected from the group consisting of MBBA, EBBA, MLC-6812, MLC 12200, 5CB (4-n-pentyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl), 8CB (4-cyano-4′octylbiphenyl) and 4-(trans-4-heptylcyclohexyl)-anilin; b) exposing said liquid crystal assay device to a sample suspected of containing nitric oxide; and c) interrogating said liquid crystal assay device to detect said nitric oxide, wherein a change in properties of the liquid crystal in said assay device caused by interaction of said nitric oxide with said liquid crystal composition is indicative of the presence of said nitric oxide.