OpenQCM

OpenQCM Basic Data Category: Business, industry URL (first publication): https://openqcm.com/technology Project status: Technical documentation Maturity of the project: no no no Other Assembly instructions are editable: Bill of materials is editable: Design files are in original format: No Free redistribution is allowed licence: No Project management Open-o-meter: 0 Product category: Business & Industrial Contains original non-electronic hardware: Contains original electronic hardware: Contains original software:

Description

The Quartz Crystal Microbalance: an Entire Lab on a Sensor Surface

openQCM is a scientific as much as a smart device based on the quartz crystal microbalance technology. A quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) is a surface sensitive technology capable of measuring phenomena at molecular scale. Thanks to its unique and flexible characteristics, the quartz crystal microbalance has a wide range of applications in the field of chemistry, biology and material sciences. It is like an entire laboratory on the surface of a crystal.

Sensing Principle

The QCM sensor is based on the piezoelectric properties of the quartz crystal. The application of an alternating current causes the mechanical vibration of the quartz crystal in the MHz range. The QCM technique measures the variations in quartz frequency for measuring the mass variations on its surface. A quartz crystal is capable to sense mass variations down to 0.1 nanograms. It is a very flexible technology because it can be used in any experimental conditions such as air, vacuum and liquid environments. Frequency measurements are commonly made with high precision making QCM an highly­ sensitive analytical device.

Typical Scientific Applications

openQCM Wi2 has a wide area of practical applications. It is useful for monitoring the real­time variations of thin film deposition in any ambient conditions. Then QCM is very effective in measuring adsorption-­desorption of molecular layers, SAM self­assemblied monolayer, swelling rates, hydratation of thin film. It is also useful for sensing molecular structural changes caused by chemical reactions on its surface. QCM could be used as a tunable gas sensor and for monitoring the aerosol deposition in ambient conditions. The applications in liquid environment show enormous potentiality. QCM is very effective in measuring binding events on functionalized surface, such as antigen­-antibody binding and protein-­protein interactions. It is a powerful tool in life sciences, being able to sense DNA hybridization and specific drug compounds. These are just a few example of the possible applications of quartz crystal microbalance for your own research. The real question is: What you can do with an entire laboratory in the palm of your hand ?

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