Detection of Organophosphorous Chemical Agents with CuONanorodModified Microcantilevers Microcantilevers are really promising sensitive sensors despite their small surface. In order to increase this surface and consequently their sensitivity, we nanostructured them with copper oxide (CuO) nanorods. The synthesis of the nanostructure consists of the oxidation of a copper layer deposited beforehand on the surface of the sample. The oxidation is performed in an alkaline solution containing a mixture of Na(OH) and (NH4)2S2O8. The synthesis procedure was first optimized on a silicon wafer, then transferred to optical cantileverbased sensors. This transfer requires specific synthesis modifications in order to cover all the cantilever with nanorods. A masking procedure was specially developed and the copper layer deposition was also optimized. These nanostructured cantilevers were engineered in order to detect vapors of organophosphorous chemical warfare agents (CWA). The nanostructured microcantilevers were exposed to various concentration of dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) which is a wellknown simulant of sarin (GB). The detection measurements showed that copper oxide is able to detect DMMP via hydrogen interactions. The results showed also that the increase of the microcantilever surface with the nanostructures improves the sensors efficiency. The evolution of the detection performances of the CuO nanostructured cantilevers with the DMMP concentration was also evaluated.

Study of LightActivated Regioregular Poly(3Hexyltiophene) Photoconductive Polymer Sensing Properties in Nerve Agent Simulant (DMMP) Detection In the present work, we report the use of regioregular poly(3hexyltiophene) polymer (RRP3HT) as a potential lightactivated material for sensing the chemical nerve agent simulant dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP). The electrical response of thick films of RRP3HT, deposited by spraycoating method onto a porous laminate substrate at room temperature, to DMMP vapours was investigated. The studied material was activated by lightemitting diodes that emitted light of different wavelengths. The sensing properties of RRP3HT are considerably enhanced upon exposure to blue and yellow light. However, excitation by the low wavelength light (blue) caused degeneration of the material, resulting in lowered stability. In the case of the yellow light, degeneration was much slower and the limit of detection was 0.4 ppm. The studied material exhibited high selectivity, as it did not respond to 6 ppm of acetone and methanol vapours.