Investigations into Fibre Optics and Polymer Coatings for Sensing of Groundwater Pollutants

This presentation will cover a number of experiments undertaken by the author in the Loock Group (Department of Chemistry, Queen’s University), which contributed to an ongoing research project to develop a field deployable water sensor for monitoring of pollutants in ground water. The author’s investigations involved collaboration with graduate students and scientists from three Chemistry research groups, using apparatus and instrumentation such as a refractometer for measuring the refractive index of polymer mixtures under different ambient conditions; long­period gratings (LPGs) ‘written into’ optical fibre (125 μm diameter); an optical spectrum analyser; a dip­coating machine; as well as scanning electron microscope images of optical fibre samples. The focus of this research was the development and characterization of coatings that increase the sensitivity of the sensor head. Results and conclusions from tests of different polymer coatings on LPGs and coated as films on silica wafers, responding to different organic compounds, will be presented. The author’s experiences and insights gained in the process of scientific inquiry will also be discussed