Recognition of alkyl ketone molecules based on thickness-shear-mode acoustic sensors with calixarene derivatives

The frequency response characteristics for twenty-two organic vapours by piezoelectric thickness-shear-mode (TSM) acoustic wave sensors coated with four supramolecule compounds—calixarenes have been investigated. Among them, 2,8,14,20-tetraethyl-4,6,10,12,16,18,22,24-octahydroxylcalix[4]arene (I) was the most efficient actively adsorptive material for host–guest recognizing alkyl ketone molecules such as 2-butanone and acetone. The supramolecule recognition mechanism has been discussed, that is based on the formation of C–H⋯π bond interaction between the methyl group of ketone molecule and the phenyl ring of the calixarene compound. The linear range of the TSM sensor upon exposure to 2-butanone vapour was 0–940.5 ppm with a detection limit of 2.67 ppm when the coating mass of the compound I was selected as 19 μg. The kinetics behaviours in the adsorption and desorption processes have been examined with polynomial curve fitting procedure. Furthermore, the proposed TSM sensor possessed good selectivity, reversibility, reproducibility and high stability. Compared with gas chromatography (GC) method, the proposed sensor can be used for on-line determination of 2-butanone vapour in air with a recovery of 94.8–106.5%, which was in consistent with those obtained by GC method.