Systems, devices, and methods for detecting steam

Abstract

To provide a system, device and method for detecting a vapor.SOLUTION: A system for detecting a vapor may include: a battery; and a sensor that is disposed in proximity to the battery. The sensor of the system for detecting the vapor may further include a substrate. The sensor of the system for detecting the vapor may further include a pair of electrodes that is disposed on the substrate. The sensor of the system for detecting the vapor may further include a polymer support disposed on the substrate so that the polymer support contacts with the pair of electrodes. In this regard, the polymer support may include an ionic salt. The polymer support may be configured to absorb at least some of the vapor and, when the polymer support absorbs at least some of the vapor, conductivity of the polymer support may increase.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to systems, devices, and methods for detecting vapor.

Background Art

[0002] The applicant has identified many technical challenges and problems associated with systems, devices, and methods for detecting vapor. Through the applied efforts, originality, and innovation, the applicant has solved the problems related to systems, devices, and methods for detecting vapor by developing solutions embodied in the present disclosure described in detail below.

Summary of the Invention

[0003] Various embodiments described herein relate to systems, devices, and methods for detecting vapor.

[0004] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a sensor for detecting vapor is provided. In some embodiments, the sensor may include a substrate for detecting vapor. In some embodiments, the sensor for detecting vapor may include a pair of electrodes disposed on the substrate. In some embodiments, the sensor for detecting vapor may include a polymer support, and the polymer support is disposed on the substrate such that the polymer support contacts the pair of electrodes. In some embodiments, the polymer support includes an ionic salt. In some embodiments, the polymer support is configured to absorb at least a portion of the vapor. In some embodiments, when the polymer support absorbs at least a portion of the vapor, the conductivity of the polymer support increases.

[0005] In some embodiments, the polymer support absorbing at least a portion of the vapor solvates the ionic salt.

[0006] In some embodiments, the ionic salt comprises one or more of tetrabutylammonium tetrafluoroborate, tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate, tetramethylammonium tetrafluoroborate, lithium tetrafluoroborate, silver tetrafluoroborate, tetramethylammonium hexafluorophosphate, tetraethylammonium hexafluorophosphate, tetrabutylammonium hexafluorophosphate, tetrabutylammonium chloride, tetraethylammonium chloride, tetramethylammonium chloride, tetramethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, tetrabutylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, tributylmethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, tetraethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, tetrabutylammonium triflate, tributylmethylammonium triflate, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, or triethylsulfonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide.

[0007] In some embodiments, the polymer support comprises one or more of poly(ethyl methacrylate), poly(butyl methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate), poly(methyl methacrylate-co-ethyl acrylate), poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP), poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN), poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc), poly(vinyl butyral-co-vinyl alcohol-co-vinyl acetate), poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate), poly(1-vinyl pyrrolidone-co-vinyl acetate), poly(methyl methacrylate) (e.g., PMMA), poly(vinylidene fluoride) (e.g., PVDF), poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) (e.g., PVDF-TrFE), poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (e.g., PVDF-HEP), poly(dimethyldiallylammonium) bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (e.g., PDDA FSI), or poly(dimethylpyrrolidinium) bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (e.g., PDP TFSI).

[0008] In some embodiments, the vapor may contain one or more of propylene carbonate (PC), ethylene carbonate (EC), diethyl carbonate (DEC), dimethyl carbonate (DMC), ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC), dimethoxyethane (DME), or gamma-butyrolactone (GBL).

[0009] In some embodiments, the sensor for detecting the vapor may include a pair of contact pads disposed on a substrate, and each of the pair of contact pads communicates with one of the pair of electrodes.

[0010] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a system for detecting vapor is provided. In some embodiments, the system for detecting vapor may include a battery. In some embodiments, the system for detecting vapor may include a sensor disposed proximate to the battery. In some embodiments, the sensor may include a substrate. In some embodiments, the sensor may include a pair of electrodes disposed on the substrate. In some embodiments, the sensor may include a polymer support, and the polymer support is disposed on the substrate such that the polymer support contacts the pair of electrodes. In some embodiments, the polymer support contains an ionic salt. In some embodiments, the polymer support is configured to absorb at least a portion of the vapor. In some embodiments, when the polymer support absorbs at least a portion of the vapor, the conductivity of the polymer support increases.

[0011] In some embodiments, the polymer support absorbing at least a portion of the vapor solvates the ionic salt.

[0012] In some embodiments, the ionic salt includes one or more of tetrabutylammonium tetrafluoroborate, tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate, tetramethylammonium tetrafluoroborate, lithium tetrafluoroborate, silver tetrafluoroborate, tetramethylammonium hexafluorophosphate, tetraethylammonium hexafluorophosphate, tetrabutylammonium hexafluorophosphate, tetrabutylammonium chloride, tetraethylammonium chloride, tetramethylammonium chloride, tetramethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, tetrabutylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, tributylmethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, tetraethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, tetrabutylammonium triflate, tributylmethylammonium triflate, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, or triethylsulfonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide.

[0013] In some embodiments, the polymer support may include one or more of poly(ethyl methacrylate), poly(butyl methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate), poly(methyl methacrylate-co-ethyl acrylate), poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP), poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN), poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc), poly(vinyl butyral-co-vinyl alcohol-co-vinyl acetate), poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate), poly(1-vinyl pyrrolidone-co-vinyl acetate), poly(methyl methacrylate) (e.g., PMMA), poly(vinylidene fluoride) (e.g., PVDF), poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) (e.g., PVDF-TrFE), poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (e.g., PVDF-HEP), poly(dimethyldiallylammonium) bis(fluorosulfonyl) imide (e.g., PDDA FSI), or poly(dimethylpyrrolidinium) bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide (e.g., PDP TFSI).

[0014] In some embodiments, the vapor may include one or more of propylene carbonate (PC), ethylene carbonate (EC), diethyl carbonate (DEC), dimethyl carbonate (DMC), ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC), dimethoxyethane (DME), or gamma-butyrolactone (GBL).

[0015] In some embodiments, the battery releases vapor when the temperature of the battery is higher than a temperature threshold.

[0016] In some embodiments, the battery releases vapor due to a fault associated with the battery.

[0017] In some embodiments, the system may include a computing device configured to communicate with a sensor to measure the impedance of the polymer support or the phase angle associated with the polymer support.

[0018] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for detecting vapor is provided. In some embodiments, the method includes measuring the impedance of a polymer support. In some embodiments, the polymer support is disposed on a substrate so as to be in contact with a pair of electrodes disposed on the substrate. In some embodiments, the polymer support contains an ionic salt. In some embodiments, the polymer support is configured to absorb at least a portion of the vapor. In some embodiments, when the polymer support absorbs at least a portion of the vapor, the conductivity of the polymer support increases.

[0019] In some embodiments, the ionic salt includes one or more of tetrabutylammonium tetrafluoroborate, tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate, tetramethylammonium tetrafluoroborate, lithium tetrafluoroborate, silver tetrafluoroborate, tetramethylammonium hexafluorophosphate, tetraethylammonium hexafluorophosphate, tetrabutylammonium hexafluorophosphate, tetrabutylammonium chloride, tetraethylammonium chloride, tetramethylammonium chloride, tetramethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, tetrabutylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, tributylmethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, tetraethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, tetrabutylammonium triflate, tributylmethylammonium triflate, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, or triethylsulfonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide.

[0020] In some embodiments, the polymer support comprises one or more of poly(ethyl methacrylate), poly(butyl methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate), poly(methyl methacrylate-co-ethyl acrylate), poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP), poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN), poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc), poly(vinyl butyral-co-vinyl alcohol-co-vinyl acetate), poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate), poly(1-vinyl pyrrolidone-co-vinyl acetate), poly(methyl methacrylate) (e.g., PMMA), poly(vinylidene fluoride) (e.g., PVDF), poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) (e.g., PVDF-TrFE), poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (e.g., PVDF-HEP), poly(dimethyldiallylammonium) bis(fluorosulfonyl) imide (e.g., PDDA FSI), or poly(dimethylpyrrolidinium) bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide (e.g., PDP TFSI).

[0021] In some embodiments, the vapor comprises one or more of propylene carbonate (PC), ethylene carbonate (EC), diethyl carbonate (DEC), dimethyl carbonate (DMC), ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC), dimethoxyethane (DME), or gamma-butyrolactone (GBL).

[0022] In some embodiments, the vapor is detected when the impedance of the polymer support falls below an impedance threshold.

[0023] In some embodiments, the method may optionally include measuring a phase angle associated with the polymer support.

[0024] The above summary is provided for the purpose of summarizing some exemplary embodiments in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the present disclosure at an end. Therefore, it should be understood that the above-described embodiments are merely examples and should not be construed in any way as narrowing the scope or spirit of the present disclosure. It will be understood that the scope of the present disclosure includes many potential embodiments, some of which will be further described below in addition to those summarized herein.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025] Next, reference is made to the accompanying drawings. The components illustrated in the figures may or may not be present in the specific embodiments described herein. Some embodiments may include fewer (or more) components than those shown in the figures according to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Figure 14

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] Exemplary embodiments will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show some, but not all embodiments of the present disclosure. In fact, the embodiments of the present disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

[0027] Overview The exemplary embodiments disclosed herein address technical problems associated with systems, devices, and methods for detecting steam. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains, there are numerous exemplary scenarios in which a user may use systems, devices, and methods for detecting steam.

[0028] In many applications, it is often necessary to detect steam. For example, it may be necessary to detect steam associated with a battery (e.g., electrolyte steam that can be released from the battery) to detect whether the battery has failed and / or is overheating (e.g., due to thermal runaway). In this regard, batteries are prone to failure and / or thermal runaway due to various catalysts such as inadequate design, overcharging, over-discharging, physical damage, and / or exposure to extreme temperatures (e.g., high temperatures can overheat the battery). During battery failure and / or thermal runaway, the temperature of the battery can rise to the extent that a chemical reaction occurs inside the battery, which further raises the temperature of the battery and causes more chemical reactions. Battery failure and / or thermal runaway can cause catastrophic failures such as ignition of the battery, which can destroy the battery and further damage nearby objects and / or individuals.

[0029] Devices that require a large amount of power, such as electric vehicles, can include hundreds of batteries (e.g., hundreds of batteries are organized into multiple battery packs, and each battery pack can include several batteries). Therefore, in such devices, the resulting catastrophic failures of the batteries due to battery failure and / or thermal runaway become a problem. As a result, if one battery suffers a catastrophic failure, this can cause catastrophic failures to other batteries in the battery pack and / or batteries in other battery packs (e.g., a catastrophic failure of one battery in an electric vehicle can cause all the batteries in the electric vehicle to ignite and suffer catastrophic failures). Thus, it can cause the destruction of the electric vehicle, the destruction of nearby objects (e.g., a garage where the electric vehicle is parked), and / or harm to nearby individuals.

[0030] To reduce the risk of battery failure and / or thermal runaway, many batteries include vents through which heat and vapor (e.g., vapor generated by the battery's chemical reactions) can be released. For example, the vapor can be released through the battery vent. However, while the battery vent may allow some heat and vapor to escape from the battery, in many cases, the vent alone cannot prevent a battery experiencing a battery failure and / or thermal runaway from suffering catastrophic damage. Thus, a user associated with the battery and / or other systems associated with the battery (e.g., a computing device associated with the battery) must take corrective action (e.g., stop charging the battery). Therefore, detecting the vapor enables a user associated with the battery and / or other systems associated with the battery to take corrective action before the battery suffers catastrophic damage and repair a battery experiencing a failure and / or thermal runaway.

[0031] Exemplary solutions for detecting vapor include sensors such as metal oxide sensors that are not specifically designed to detect vapor. However, metal oxide sensors have several drawbacks. For example, metal oxide sensors are generally non-specific sensors and, as a result, react to any vapor that can change the surface oxidation of the metal oxide sensor (e.g., including vapors that are not desired to be detected) and / or are insensitive (e.g., can only detect vapor when a high concentration of vapor is present near the sensor). As another example, metal oxide sensors use a moving average baseline to detect vapor, and as a result, metal oxide sensors cannot detect slow accumulation of vapor. As another example, metal oxide sensors are prone to baseline drift over time, which degrades the accuracy of the metal oxide sensor over time. As another example, metal oxide sensors can be large in size, and as a result, it can be difficult to place them near a battery (e.g., when the battery is in an enclosed space such as inside an electric vehicle, it can be difficult to place a metal oxide sensor near the battery). As another example, the manufacture of metal oxide sensors can be expensive. As another example, metal oxide sensors can consume a large amount of power during operation (e.g., metal oxide sensors typically have to be heated to a high temperature (e.g., above 200 °C) to operate, so they can consume more than 10 milliwatts (mW)), and as a result, it can be difficult to provide sufficient power to use the desired number of metal oxide sensors in applications with multiple batteries (e.g., in applications with hundreds of batteries, it may be desirable to use multiple metal oxide sensors, but due to the power consumption of the metal oxide sensors, sufficient power may only be provided to fewer metal oxide sensors than desired).

[0032] Accordingly, systems that use metal oxide sensors to detect vapor often produce false alarms at a high rate (e.g., because metal oxide sensors are non-specific sensors), become inaccurate over time (e.g., because metal oxide sensors are prone to baseline drift), are unable to detect slow accumulations of vapor (e.g., because metal oxide sensors use a moving average baseline to detect vapor), and can also be difficult and / or expensive to implement in many applications (e.g., because metal oxide sensors are large, expensive to manufacture, and consume a large amount of power during operation). These exemplary drawbacks of metal oxide sensors reduce the usefulness of metal oxide sensors. Accordingly, there is a need for systems, devices, and methods that can accurately and efficiently detect vapor, such as systems, devices, and methods that can accurately and efficiently detect electrolyte vapor released from a battery.

[0033] Accordingly, to address these and / or other challenges related to the detection of vapors, exemplary systems, devices, and methods are disclosed herein. For example, one embodiment of the present disclosure, described in further detail below, includes a sensor capable of detecting a vapor. In some examples, the sensor can include a substrate, a pair of electrodes disposed on the substrate, and a polymer support, where the polymer support is disposed on the substrate such that the polymer support contacts the pair of electrodes. In some examples, the polymer support can include an ionic salt. In some examples, the polymer support can be configured to absorb at least a portion of the vapor, and when the polymer support absorbs at least a portion of the vapor, the conductivity of the polymer support can increase. In some examples, the impedance of the polymer support and / or the phase angle associated with the polymer support can be measured, and the vapor is detected when the impedance of the polymer support falls below an impedance threshold and / or when the phase angle associated with the polymer support is higher than a phase angle threshold (e.g., due to an increase in conductivity). Accordingly, in some examples, the sensor can be capable of accurately detecting vapors released from a battery experiencing a battery failure and / or thermal runaway in various applications and situations (e.g., without a high risk of false alarms). Accordingly, a user associated with the battery and / or a system associated with the battery is enabled to take corrective action before the battery suffers a catastrophic failure.

[0034] Exemplary System for Detecting Vapor Referring to FIGS. 1-5, embodiments of the present specification provide an exemplary system for detecting vapor 100. In some embodiments, the system for detecting vapor 100 may include a sensor 102. In some embodiments, the sensor 102 may be capable of detecting any vapor that can solvate an ionic salt. For example, the sensor 102 may be capable of detecting a vapor associated with a battery (e.g., an electrolyte vapor that may be released from the battery). In some embodiments, the sensor 102 may have dimensions D1 and D2. In some embodiments, D1 may be less than 10 mm and / or D2 may be less than 10 mm. For example, in some embodiments, D1 may be about 1 mm and / or D2 may be about 1 mm.

[0035] In some embodiments, the sensor 102 may include a substrate 104. The substrate 104 may include one or more of silicon, silicon oxide, silicon nitride, borosilicate glass, quartz, silica, sapphire, alumina, or plastic. In other words, the substrate 104 may include any material that can ensure that the sensor 102 can detect the vapor 118. In this regard, for example, the substrate 104 may be a printed circuit board.

[0036] In some embodiments, sensor 102 may include a pair of electrodes 110 disposed on substrate 104. In some embodiments, sensor 102 may include a polymer support 106 disposed on substrate 104. The polymer support 106 may be disposed on the substrate 104 such that the polymer support 106 contacts each of the pair of electrodes 110. The pair of electrodes 110 may include one or more of copper, nickel, cobalt, tungsten, silicon carbide, palladium, platinum, gold, or a transition metal alloy. For example, as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, each of the pair of electrodes 110 may contact a portion of the polymer support 106. In this regard, for example, the polymer support 106 may be configured to provide a connection between the pair of electrodes 110 (e.g., the pair of electrodes 110 may not be in contact with each other). In some embodiments, the pair of electrodes 110 may be disposed on the substrate 104 in any configuration such that the impedance of the polymer support 106 and / or the phase angle associated with the polymer support 106 can be measured. For example, each of the pair of electrodes 110 may be a comb-shaped electrode. As another example, each of the pair of electrodes 110 may be disposed on the substrate 104 such that the pair of electrodes 110 forms a helix. In some embodiments, the distance between the pair of electrodes 110 may be approximately equal to the thickness of the polymer support 106.

[0037] In some embodiments, the polymer support 106 can be of any shape such that when disposed on the substrate 104, the polymer support 106 can contact a pair of electrodes 110. For example, the polymer support 106 can be cylindrical, cubic, rectangular, etc. In some embodiments, the polymer support 106 can include one or more thermoplastic substances (e.g., non-reactive thermoplastic substances). For example, the polymer support 106 can be poly(ethyl methacrylate), poly(butyl methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate), poly(methyl methacrylate-co-ethyl acrylate), poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP), poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN), poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc), poly(vinyl butyral-co-vinyl alcohol-co-vinyl acetate), poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate), poly(1-vinyl pyrrolidone-co-vinyl acetate), poly(methyl methacrylate) (e.g., PMMA), poly(vinylidene fluoride) (e.g., PVDF), poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) (e.g., PVDF-TrFE), poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (e.g., PVDF-HEP), poly(dimethyldiallylammonium) bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (e.g., PDDA FSI), or poly(dimethylpyrrolidinium) bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (e.g., PDP TFSI), and can include one or more of these.

[0038] In some embodiments, the polymer support 106 can include an ionic salt 108. In some embodiments, the ionic salt 108 can be dispersed throughout the polymer support 106. For example, the ionic salt 108 can be dispersed in agglomerates throughout the polymer support 106. As another example, the ionic salt 108 can be dispersed in a substantially uniform distribution throughout the polymer support 106. In some embodiments, the ionic salt 108 can be dispersed in agglomerates and / or in a substantially uniform distribution throughout the polymer support 106 before the sensor 102 detects the vapor 118.

[0039] In some embodiments, the ionic salt 108 can include one or more of tetrabutylammonium tetrafluoroborate, tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate, tetramethylammonium tetrafluoroborate, lithium tetrafluoroborate, silver tetrafluoroborate, tetramethylammonium hexafluorophosphate, tetraethylammonium hexafluorophosphate, tetrabutylammonium hexafluorophosphate, tetrabutylammonium chloride, tetraethylammonium chloride, tetramethylammonium chloride, tetramethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, tetrabutylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, tributylmethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, tetraethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, tetrabutylammonium triflate, tributylmethylammonium triflate, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, or triethylsulfonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide. In some embodiments, the ionic salt 108 can be selected based on the solubility of the ionic salt 108 in the vapor 118, the ability of the ionic salt 108 to form an ion-conductive electrolyte after the ionic salt 108 is exposed to the vapor 118, and / or the compatibility of the ionic salt 108 with the polymer support 106.

[0040] In some embodiments, the polymeric support 106 may be configured to absorb at least a portion of the vapor 118. For example, when the vapor 118 is within the sensor 102, the polymeric support 106 may absorb a portion of the vapor 118. In some embodiments, absorbing at least a portion of the vapor 118 may solvate the polymeric support 106. In this regard, for example, the polymeric support 106 may become more flexible. In some embodiments, absorbing at least a portion of the vapor 118 may solvate the ionic salt 108. In this regard, as depicted in FIG. 4, for example, the ionic salt 108 may dissolve in the polymeric support 106 (e.g., the ionic salt 108 may dissociate into ions). In some embodiments, the polymeric support 106 may absorb a portion of the vapor 118 within 1 minute when the vapor 118 is present within the sensor 102 (and may solvate the polymeric support 106 and / or the ionic salt 108). In some embodiments, absorbing at least a portion of the vapor 118 and, as a result, solvating the polymeric support 106 and / or the ionic salt 108 increases the conductivity of the polymeric support 106. In this regard, for example, when the conductivity of the polymeric support 106 increases, the impedance of the polymeric support 106 may decrease. As another example, when the conductivity of the polymeric support 106 increases, the phase angle associated with the polymeric support 106 (e.g., the phase angle of the impedance of the polymeric support 106) may shift (e.g., the phase angle associated with the polymeric support 106 may shift to an extent that the phase angle exceeds a phase angle threshold).

[0041] In some embodiments, the vapor 118 can be any vapor that can solvate the ionic salt 108. For example, as described above, the vapor 118 can be associated with one or more batteries 114. That is, in some embodiments, the vapor 118 can be released from one of the one or more batteries 114. In some embodiments, the vapor 118 can include one or more of propylene carbonate (PC), ethylene carbonate (EC), diethyl carbonate (DEC), dimethyl carbonate (DMC), ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC), dimethoxyethane (DME), or gamma-butyrolactone (GBL).

[0042] In some embodiments, the sensor 102 can include a pair of contact pads 112 disposed on the substrate 104. In some embodiments, each of the pair of contact pads 112 can communicate (e.g., electrically communicate) with one of the pair of electrodes 110. In some embodiments, each of the pair of contact pads 112 can communicate (e.g., electrically communicate) with one of the pair of electrodes 110 via an associated connection path 124. In some embodiments, each connection path 124 can include one or more electrical connection members such as wires, electrical leads, electrical traces, etc.

[0043] In some embodiments, each of the pair of contact pads 112 may be configured to be connected to a computing device 126. In this regard, the sensor 102 may be configured to be connected to the computing device 126 via each of the pair of contact pads 112 such that the sensor 102 and the computing device 126 can communicate (e.g., electrically communicate). In some embodiments, the sensor 102 and the computing device 126 may be connected by one or more electrical connection members such as wires, electrical leads, electrical traces, etc. In FIG. 1, the sensor 102 and the computing device 126 are depicted as separate components, but those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains will understand that in some embodiments, the sensor 102 and the computing device 126 may be combined into a single component. For example, the sensor 102 may be integrated into the computing device 126, or the computing device 126 may be incorporated into the sensor 102.

[0044] As described above, in some embodiments, a system for detecting vapor 100 may include one or more batteries 114. The one or more batteries 114 can be any type of battery used in various applications (e.g., in an electric vehicle). For example, the one or more batteries 114 can include lithium-ion batteries, lithium polymer batteries, alkaline batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, carbon-zinc batteries, silver oxide batteries, zinc-air batteries, single-use batteries, rechargeable batteries, etc. In some embodiments, the one or more batteries 114 can include more than one type of battery. For example, one of the one or more batteries 114 can be a lithium-ion battery, and another of the one or more batteries 114 can be a lithium polymer battery.

[0045] In some embodiments, each of the one or more batteries 114 may include a vent 116. In some embodiments, the vent 116 may be positioned anywhere on each of the one or more batteries 114 (e.g., at the top of each of the one or more batteries 114). The vent 116 of each of the one or more batteries 114 may be configured to move between a closed position 122 and an open position 120. In some embodiments, the vent 116 of each of the one or more batteries 114 may be in the closed position 122 when the battery is operating normally (e.g., the battery is not damaged and / or is operating at a standard temperature). In some embodiments, the vent 116 of each of the one or more batteries 114 may be in the open position 120 when the battery is not operating normally (e.g., the battery is damaged and / or is not operating at a standard temperature). For example, the vent 116 of one of the one or more batteries 114 may be in the open position 120 when the temperature of the battery exceeds a temperature threshold. In some embodiments, the vent 116 of one of the one or more batteries 114 may be configured to move from the closed position 122 to the open position 120 when the temperature of the battery exceeds a temperature threshold. In some embodiments, the temperature threshold may be based on the size of the one or more batteries 114 (e.g., the size of the battery cells of the one or more batteries 114), the material (e.g., the material of the battery cells of the one or more batteries 114), and / or the design (e.g., the design of the battery cells of the one or more batteries 114). In some embodiments, the temperature threshold may be about 130°C to 200°C.

[0046] In some embodiments, one or more vents 116 of one or more batteries 114 may be configured to move from a closed position 122 to an open position 120 to release vapor 118 from the battery and, in some embodiments, to release heat from the battery. In some embodiments, a vent 116 of one of the one or more batteries 114 may be configured to move from a closed position 122 to an open position 120 to release vapor from the battery when the battery is overheating (e.g., in a thermal runaway condition) and / or due to a fault associated with the battery (e.g., a fault not related to overheating of the battery). For example, when the temperature of one of the one or more batteries 114 rises, vapor 118 may accumulate inside the battery. In some embodiments, when a certain amount of vapor 118 has accumulated in one of the one or more batteries 114 (e.g., when the temperature of the battery exceeds a temperature threshold), the vent 116 moves from the closed position 122 to the open position 120 to release the vapor 118 and reduce the pressure inside the battery. In this regard, the release of the vapor 118 may indicate that the battery is not operating properly (e.g., the battery is overheating and in a thermal runaway condition).

[0047] In FIG. 1, sensor 102 and one or more batteries 114 are depicted as separate components, but those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains will understand that in some embodiments, sensor 102 and one or more batteries 114 may be combined into a single component. For example, sensor 102 may be incorporated into one of the one or more batteries (e.g., attached to the surface of one of the one or more batteries 114). Additionally or alternatively, in FIG. 1, only one sensor 102 is depicted, but those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains will understand that in some embodiments, a system for detecting vapor 100 may include more than one sensor 102. For example, as depicted in FIG. 5, a system for detecting vapor 100 may include one sensor 102 for each of the one or more batteries 114. As another example, a system for detecting vapor 100 may include a first sensor 102 for a portion of the one or more batteries 114 and a second sensor 102 for another portion of the one or more batteries 114.

[0048] In some embodiments, as depicted in FIGS. 6-8, one or more batteries 114 may be configured into one or more battery packs 602. In some embodiments, for example, each of the one or more batteries 114 within battery pack 602 may be associated with one sensor 102. For example, sensor 102 may be disposed proximate to each of the one or more batteries 114 (e.g., sensor 102 may be attached to the surface of each of the one or more batteries 114). In some embodiments, for example, each of the one or more batteries 114 within battery pack 602 may not be associated with sensor 102. For example, a battery pack 602 having three batteries 114 may have two sensors 102, and each of the two sensors 102 associated with some or all of the batteries 114 is the battery pack 602 (e.g., each sensor 102 may be associated with a battery 114 proximate to the sensor 102 within battery pack 602). In some embodiments, the number of sensors 102 within battery pack 602 may depend on the size of battery pack 602 (e.g., the number of batteries 114 within battery pack 602, the physical dimensions of battery pack 602, etc.). In this regard, for example, the larger the size of battery pack 602, the greater the number of sensors 102 within battery pack 602.

[0049] In some embodiments, as depicted in FIG. 8, one or more battery packs 602 may include a computing device such as computing device 126. In this regard, for example, computing device 126 may serve as battery pack management circuitry for battery pack 602. For example, computing device 126 may communicate with each sensor 102 within battery pack 602. As described above, in FIG. 8, sensor 102 and computing device 126 within battery pack 602 are depicted as separate components, but those of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains will understand that in some embodiments, sensor 102 and computing device 126 may be combined into a single component. For example, sensor 102 may be integrated into computing device 126, or computing device 126 may be incorporated into sensor 102 (e.g., sensor 102 may be incorporated into the battery pack management circuitry of battery pack 602, or the battery pack management circuitry of battery pack 602 may be incorporated into sensor 102).

[0050] In some embodiments, computing device 126 may be configured to measure the impedance of polymer support 106 (e.g., using a pair of electrodes 110). In some embodiments, if the impedance of polymer support 106 measured by computing device 126 falls below an impedance threshold, computing device 126 may determine that vapor 118 has been detected. In this regard, as described above, absorbing at least a portion of vapor 118 and, as a result, solvating polymer support 106 and / or ionic salt 108 increases the conductivity of polymer support 106. In this regard, when the conductivity of polymer support 106 increases, the impedance of polymer support 106 decreases. For example, as depicted in FIG. 9, when no vapor is detected, the impedance of polymer support 106 may exceed the impedance threshold (e.g., the impedance of polymer support 106 is about 4 MΩ). As another example, as depicted in FIG. 9, when vapor is detected, the impedance of polymer support 106 may fall below the impedance threshold (e.g., the impedance of polymer support 106 is less than 1 MΩ). In this regard, for example, a system for detecting vapor 100 may be capable of accurately detecting vapor 118 with minimal power consumption by sensor 102 (e.g., by measuring the impedance of polymer support 106). For example, the average power consumption of sensor 102 may be less than 50 microwatts (μW) (e.g., when measuring impedance approximately once per second).

[0051] In some embodiments, computing device 126 may be configured to measure a phase angle associated with polymer support 106 (e.g., using a pair of electrodes 110 to determine the phase angle of the impedance of polymer support 106). In some embodiments, when the phase angle associated with polymer support 106 measured by computing device 126 shifts to an extent that exceeds a phase angle threshold, computing device 126 may determine that vapor 118 has been detected. In this regard, as described above, absorbing at least a portion of vapor 118 and, as a result, solvating polymer support 106 and / or ionic salt 108 increases the conductivity of polymer support 106. In this regard, when the conductivity of polymer support 106 increases, the phase angle associated with polymer support 106 may shift to an extent that exceeds the phase angle threshold. For example, as depicted in FIG. 10, when no vapor is detected, the phase angle associated with polymer support 106 does not exceed the phase angle threshold (e.g., the phase angle associated with polymer support 106 is about -80°). As another example, as depicted in FIG. 10, when vapor is detected, the phase angle associated with polymer support 106 may shift to an extent that the phase angle exceeds the phase angle threshold (e.g., the phase angle associated with polymer support 106 is about -20°). In this regard, for example, a system for detecting vapor 100 may be capable of accurately detecting vapor 118 with minimal power consumption by sensor 102 (e.g., by measuring the phase angle associated with polymer support 106). For example, the average power consumption of sensor 102 may be less than 50 microwatts (μW) (e.g., when measuring the phase angle approximately once per second).

[0052] In some embodiments, as depicted in FIG. 11, a system for detecting vapor 100 may be implemented in an electric vehicle such as electric vehicle 1100. In this regard, for example, electric vehicle 1100 may include one or more batteries 114, one or more sensors 102, and / or a computing device 126. In some embodiments, for example, one or more batteries 114 of electric vehicle 1100 may be organized into one or more battery packs, with each of the one or more battery packs being associated with one or more sensors 102. In some embodiments, computing device 126 may serve as a battery management proxy for electric vehicle 1100. Although depicted in FIG. 11 as part of electric vehicle 1100, those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains will understand that in some embodiments, computing device 126 may be separate from electric vehicle 1100 (e.g., electric vehicle 1100 may include sensors 102 and one or more batteries 114). In this regard, for example, computing device 126 may be a remote computing device that communicates with sensors 102.

[0053] Referring to FIG. 12, in some embodiments, computing device 126 may include a user interface 1202. In some embodiments, user interface 1202 embodies a user interface configured to be rendered in a native application associated with computing device 126 (e.g., user interface 1202 is rendered in a native application associated with electric vehicle 1100). In some embodiments, user interface 1202 embodies a web interface accessible by a browser or other web application. In this regard, user interface 1202 may be accessible by a browser or other web application associated with computing device 126.

[0054] In some embodiments, the user interface 1202 may include a measurement component 1204. The measurement component 1204 may be configured to measure the impedance of the polymer support 106 and / or the phase angle associated with the polymer support 106. For example, a user of a system for detecting vapor 100 may use the measurement component 1204 to measure the impedance of the polymer support 106 and / or the phase angle associated with the polymer support 106 to determine whether the sensor 102 has detected vapor 118 (e.g., whether the polymer support 106 has absorbed at least a portion of the vapor 118 and the conductivity of the polymer support 106 has increased). In this regard, a user of a system for detecting vapor 100 may use the measurement component 1204 to check whether the impedance of the polymer support 106 has decreased below an impedance threshold and / or whether the phase angle associated with the polymer support 106 has shifted beyond a phase angle threshold. In some embodiments, the measurement component 1204 may include text, symbols, graphs, and / or colors that enable a user to use the measurement component 1204 to measure the impedance of the polymer support 106 and / or the phase angle associated with the polymer support 106.

[0055] In some embodiments, the user interface 1202 of the computing device 126 may include a measured component 1206. The measured component 1206 may be configured to display the measured impedance of the polymer support 106 and / or the measured phase angle associated with the polymer support 106. In some embodiments, the measured component 1206 may display the measured impedance of the polymer support 106 and / or the measured phase angle associated with the polymer support 106 after a user of the system for detecting the vapor 100 selects the measuring component 1204 and measures the impedance of the polymer support 106 and / or the measured phase angle associated with the polymer support 106. Additionally or alternatively, the system for detecting the vapor 100 may continuously and / or periodically measure the impedance of the polymer support 106 and / or the phase angle associated with the polymer support 106 (e.g., without the user selecting the measuring component 1204 and causing the impedance of the polymer support 106 and / or the phase angle associated with the polymer support 106 to be measured). In this regard, for example, the measured component 1206 may display the most recent impedance measurement of the polymer support 106 and / or the most recent phase angle measurement associated with the polymer support 106, a plurality of impedance measurements and / or phase angle measurements obtained over a period of time (e.g., to show a trend), and / or an impedance measurement below an impedance threshold and / or a phase angle measurement where the phase angle associated with the polymer support has shifted such that it exceeds a phase angle threshold. In some embodiments, the measured component 1206 may include text, symbols, graphs, and / or colors indicating the measured impedance of the polymer support 106 and / or the measured phase angle associated with the polymer support 106.

[0056] In some embodiments, the user interface 1202 of the computing device 126 may include a warning component 1208. In some embodiments, the warning component 1208 may indicate to the user of the system for detecting the vapor 100 that the vapor 118 has been detected. In this regard, the warning component 1208 may indicate to the user when the impedance of the polymer support 106 falls below an impedance threshold and / or when the phase angle associated with the polymer support 106 shifts beyond a phase angle threshold (e.g., indicating that the conductivity of the polymer support 106 has increased and that one of the one or more batteries 114 may be in a thermal runaway state). As a result, in response to an indicator on the warning component 1208, the user of the system for detecting the vapor 100 may be able to quickly take corrective actions to prevent catastrophic failures of one or more of the one or more batteries 114. In some embodiments, the warning component 1208 may include text, symbols, graphs, and / or colors indicating to the user of the system for detecting the vapor 100 that the vapor 118 has been detected (e.g., because the impedance of the polymer support 106 has fallen below an impedance threshold and / or because the phase angle associated with the polymer support 106 has shifted beyond a phase angle threshold). For example, the warning component 1208 may be a warning light within the electric vehicle 1100. As another example, the warning component 1208 may be a notification from a native application of the computing device 126.

[0057] The measurement component 1204, the measured component 1206, and / or the warning component 1208 are depicted as separate components of the user interface 1202. However, those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains will understand that in some embodiments, the measurement component 1204, the measured component 1206, and / or the warning component 1208 can be combined into a single component on the user interface 1202. For example, the measured component 1206 and the warning component 1208 can be combined into a single component on the user interface 1202.

[0058] In some embodiments, the computing device 126 can be configured to automatically perform a corrective action to prevent one or more catastrophic failures of one or more of the batteries 114 when the computing device 126 determines that the impedance of the polymer support 106 has dropped below an impedance threshold and / or the phase angle associated with the polymer support 106 has shifted beyond a phase angle threshold. For example, when one or more of the batteries 114 are being charged, the computing device 126 can be configured to automatically stop charging the battery 114 when the computing device 126 determines that the impedance of the polymer support 106 has dropped below an impedance threshold and / or the phase angle associated with the polymer support 106 has shifted beyond a phase angle threshold. As another example, when one or more of the batteries 114 are powering a device (e.g., an electric vehicle 1100 is on), the computing device 126 can be configured to stop powering the one or more batteries 114 (e.g., shut down the electric vehicle 1100) when the computing device 126 determines that the impedance of the polymer support 106 has dropped below an impedance threshold and / or the phase angle associated with the polymer support 106 has shifted beyond a phase angle threshold.

[0059] Exemplary method for detecting steam Next, referring to FIG. 13, a flowchart is illustrated that provides an exemplary method of detecting vapor 1300. In this regard, FIG. 13 illustrates operations that may be performed by a system for detecting vapor 100 and / or components of a system for detecting vapor 100. For example, in some embodiments, the operations illustrated in FIG. 13 may be performed, for example, with the assistance of and / or under the control of computing device 126, sensor 102, and / or one or more batteries 114 (e.g., using processing circuitry 1402, memory 1404, processor 1406, user interface 1408, and / or communication interface 1410).

[0060] As shown in block 1310, a method for detecting vapor 1300 may include measuring the impedance of a polymer support or the phase angle associated with the polymer support. As described above, in some embodiments, the polymer support may be disposed on a substrate such that the polymer support contacts a pair of electrodes disposed on the substrate. In some embodiments, the polymer support may include an ionic salt configured to absorb at least a portion of the vapor. In some embodiments, when the polymer support absorbs at least a portion of the vapor, the conductivity of the polymer support may increase. In some embodiments, the polymer support absorbing at least a portion of the vapor solvates the polymer support and / or the ionic salt.

[0061] As described above, the polymer support may include one or more thermoplastic substances (e.g., non-reactive thermoplastic substances). For example, the polymer support may include poly(ethyl methacrylate), poly(butyl methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate), poly(methyl methacrylate-co-ethyl acrylate), poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP), poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN), poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc), poly(vinyl butyral-co-vinyl alcohol-co-vinyl acetate), poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate), poly(1-vinyl pyrrolidone-co-vinyl acetate), poly(methyl methacrylate) (e.g., PMMA), poly(vinylidene fluoride) (e.g., PVDF), poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) (e.g., PVDF-TrFE), poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (e.g., PVDF-HEP), poly(dimethyldiallylammonium) bis(fluorosulfonyl) imide (e.g., PDDA FSI), or poly(dimethylpyrrolidinium) bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide (e.g., PDP TFSI), and may include one or more of these.As described above, the ionic salt 108 may include one or more of tetrabutylammonium tetrafluoroborate, tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate, tetramethylammonium tetrafluoroborate, lithium tetrafluoroborate, silver tetrafluoroborate, tetramethylammonium hexafluorophosphate, tetraethylammonium hexafluorophosphate, tetrabutylammonium hexafluorophosphate, tetrabutylammonium chloride, tetraethylammonium chloride, tetramethylammonium chloride, tetramethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, tetrabutylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, tributylmethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, tetraethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, tetrabutylammonium triflate, tributylmethylammonium triflate, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, or triethylsulfonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide. As described above, the vapor may include one or more of propylene carbonate (PC), ethylene carbonate (EC), diethyl carbonate (DEC), dimethyl carbonate (DMC), ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC), dimethoxyethane (DME), or gamma-butyrolactone (GBL).

[0062] As described above, vapor can be released from one or more batteries. In this regard, for example, a vent of one of the one or more batteries can be configured to move from a closed position to an open position to release vapor from the battery and, in some embodiments, to release heat from the battery. In this regard, in some embodiments, when the temperature of one of the one or more batteries rises, vapor can accumulate inside the battery. In some embodiments, when a certain amount of vapor accumulates in one of the one or more batteries (e.g., when the temperature of the battery exceeds a temperature threshold), the vent moves from the closed position to the open position to release the vapor and reduce the pressure inside the battery. In this regard, the release of vapor can indicate that the battery is not operating properly (e.g., the battery is overheating and in a thermal runaway state).

[0063] As shown in block 1320, a method for detecting vapor 1300 can include detecting the vapor based on the measured impedance of the polymer support or the measured phase angle associated with the polymer support. As described above, in some embodiments, vapor is detected when the impedance of the polymer support is below an impedance threshold. In this regard, as described above, absorbing at least a portion of the vapor and, as a result, solvating the polymer support and / or the ionic salt increases the conductivity of the polymer support. In this regard, when the conductivity of the polymer support increases, the impedance of the polymer support decreases. As described above, in some embodiments, vapor 118 is detected when the phase angle associated with the polymer support 106 shifts to an extent that exceeds a phase angle threshold. In this regard, as described above, absorbing at least a portion of the vapor 118 and, as a result, solvating the polymer support 106 and / or the ionic salt 108 increases the conductivity of the polymer support 106. In this regard, when the conductivity of the polymer support 106 increases, the phase angle associated with the polymer support 106 can shift to an extent that the phase angle exceeds the phase angle threshold.

[0064] Exemplary computer processing device Referring to FIG. 14, a block diagram of an exemplary computer processing device 1400 according to some exemplary embodiments is illustrated. In some embodiments, the computing device 126 (e.g., a battery pack management circuit, a battery management circuit, etc.) and / or other devices may be embodied as one or more computer processing devices such as the computer processing device 1400 of FIG. 14. However, it should be noted that the components, devices, or elements illustrated and described in FIG. 14 below may not be essential, and thus one or more of them may be omitted in certain embodiments. Additionally, some embodiments may include additional or different components, devices, or elements in addition to those illustrated and described in FIG. 14.

[0065] The computer processing device 1400 may include, or alternatively communicate with, a processing circuit 1402 configured to execute actions according to one or more embodiments disclosed herein. In this regard, the processing circuit 1402 may execute, and / or be configured to control the execution of, one or more functions of the computer processing device 1400 according to various embodiments, and thus may provide means for performing the functions of the computer processing device 1400 according to various embodiments. The processing circuit 1402 may be configured to perform data processing, application execution, and / or other processing and management services according to one or more embodiments. In some embodiments, the computer processing device 1400, or a portion or component thereof such as the processing circuit 1402, may be embodied as, or include, a chip or chipset. In other words, the computer processing device 1400 or the processing circuit 1402 may include one or more physical packages (e.g., chips) that include materials, components, and / or wires on a structural assembly (e.g., a motherboard). The structural assembly may provide physical strength, size savings, and / or limitation of the electrical interaction of the component circuits included thereon. Thus, the computer processing device 1400 or the processing circuit 1402 may, in some cases, be configured to implement an embodiment of the present disclosure on a single chip or as a single “system on a chip”. As such, in some cases, the chip or chipset may constitute means for performing one or more operations for providing the functions described herein.

[0066] In some embodiments, the processing circuit 1402 may include a processor 1406 and, in some embodiments such as illustrated in FIG. 14, may further include a memory 1404. The processing circuit 1402 may communicate with and / or otherwise control the user interface 1408 and the communication interface 1410. Thus, the processing circuit 1402 may be embodied as a circuit chip (e.g., an integrated circuit chip) configured to perform the operations described herein (e.g., by hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software).

[0067] Processor 1406 can be implemented in a number of different ways. For example, processor 1406 can be implemented as a microprocessor or other processing element, a coprocessor, a controller, or various other computing or processing devices such as, for example, an integrated circuit, an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit), an FPGA (field programmable gate array), etc., and can be implemented as one or more of various processing means. Although illustrated as a single processor, it will be understood that processor 1406 can comprise multiple processors. The multiple processors can communicate operably with each other and can be collectively configured to perform one or more functions of computer processing device 1400, as described herein. In some embodiments, processor 1406 can be configured to execute instructions stored in memory 1404 or otherwise accessible to processor 1406. Thus, whether configured by hardware or by a combination of hardware and software, processor 1406 can represent an entity that, while configured according to embodiments of the present disclosure, can execute according to embodiments of the present disclosure (e.g., in the form of processing circuit 1402, physically embodied within a circuit). Thus, for example, if processor 1406 is implemented as an ASIC, an FPGA, etc., processor 1406 can be specifically configured in hardware to perform the operations described herein. Alternatively, as another example, if processor 1406 is implemented as an executor of software instructions, the instructions can specifically configure processor 1406 to perform one or more operations described herein.

[0068] In some embodiments, memory 1404 may include one or more non-transitory memory devices, such as volatile memory and / or non-volatile memory, which may be either fixed or removable, for example. In this regard, memory 1404 may comprise a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. Although memory 1404 is illustrated as a single memory, it will be understood that memory 1404 may comprise multiple memories. Memory 1404 may be configured to store information, data, applications, computer instructions, etc. to enable processing device 1400 to perform various functions according to one or more embodiments. For example, memory 1404 may be configured to buffer input data for processing by processor 1406. Additionally or alternatively, memory 1404 may be configured to store instructions for execution by processor 1406. As yet another alternative, memory 1404 may include one or more databases that may store various files, contents, or datasets. Among the contents of memory 1404, applications may be stored for execution by processor 1406 to perform functions associated with each application. In some cases, memory 1404 may communicate with one or more of processor 1406, user interface 1408, and / or communication interface 1410 via a bus for passing information among components of computer processing device 1400.

[0069] User interface 1408 may communicate with processing circuit 1402 to receive instructions for user input at user interface 1408 and / or to provide auditory, visual, mechanical, or other outputs to the user. Thus, user interface 1408 may include, for example, a keyboard, mouse, joystick, display, touch screen display, microphone, speaker, and / or other input / output mechanisms. Thus, user interface 1408 may, in some embodiments, provide means for a user to access and interact with computing device 126 and / or sensor 102.

[0070] The communication interface 1410 may include one or more interface mechanisms for enabling communication with other devices and / or networks. In some cases, the communication interface 1410 may be any means, such as a device or circuit embodied in either hardware, or a combination of hardware and software, configured to receive data from and / or transmit data to a network and / or any other device or module that communicates with the processing circuit 1402. As an example, the communication interface 1410 may be configured to enable the computing device 126 to communicate with the sensor 102 and / or other computing devices. Thus, the communication interface 1410 may include, for example, an antenna (or multiple antennas) for enabling communication with a wireless communication network (such as a wireless local area network, a cellular network, a global positioning system network, etc.), as well as support hardware and / or software, and / or a communication modem or other hardware / software for supporting communication via a cable, digital subscriber line (DSL), universal serial bus (USB), Ethernet, or other means.

[0071] Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention described herein will come to the mind of those skilled in the art who benefit from the teachings presented in the foregoing description and the related drawings. The drawings show only specific components of the devices and systems described herein, but it is understood that various other components may be used in conjunction with the systems. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Further, the steps in the methods described above need not necessarily be performed in the order depicted in the accompanying drawings, and in some cases, one or more of the steps described may be performed substantially simultaneously or additional steps may be included. Certain terms are used herein, but they are used only in a general and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation.

[0072] Although various embodiments in accordance with the principles disclosed herein have been shown and described above, modifications thereof may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and teachings of the disclosure. The embodiments described herein are merely representative and are not intended to be limiting. Many variations, combinations, and modifications are possible and are within the scope of the disclosure. Alternative embodiments resulting from combining, integrating, and / or omitting features of the embodiments are also within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the scope of protection is not limited by the description shown above.

[0073] In addition, the section headings used herein are provided to conform to the suggestions of 37 C.F.R. 1.77 or otherwise to give structural imputation. These headings do not limit or characterize the invention(s) recited in any patent claims that may issue from this disclosure.

[0074] The use of broader terms such as "comprises", "includes", and "having" is to be understood as supporting narrower terms such as "consisting of", "consisting essentially of", and "comprised substantially of". The use of terms such as "optionally", "may", "might", "possibly" with respect to any element of an embodiment means that the element is not required, or alternatively the element is required, and both options are within the scope of the embodiment. Also, references to examples are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be exclusive.

Claims

1. A sensor for detecting steam, comprising: a substrate; a pair of electrodes disposed on the substrate; and a polymer support, wherein the polymer support is disposed on the substrate such that the polymer support contacts the pair of electrodes, the polymer support contains an ionic salt, and the polymer support is configured to absorb at least a part of the steam to solvate the ionic salt, and when the polymer support absorbs at least a part of the steam to solvate the ionic salt, the conductivity of the polymer support increases.

2. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the ionic salt contains one or more of tetrabutylammonium tetrafluoroborate, tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate, tetramethylammonium tetrafluoroborate, lithium tetrafluoroborate, silver tetrafluoroborate, tetramethylammonium hexafluorophosphate, tetraethylammonium hexafluorophosphate, tetrabutylammonium hexafluorophosphate, tetrabutylammonium chloride, tetraethylammonium chloride, tetramethylammonium chloride, tetramethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, tetrabutylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, tributylmethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, tetraethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, tetrabutylammonium triflate, tributylmethylammonium triflate, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, or triethylsulfonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide.

3. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the polymer support contains one or more of poly(ethyl methacrylate), poly(butyl methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate), poly(methyl methacrylate-co-ethyl acrylate), poly(ethylene oxide), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), poly(acrylonitrile), poly(vinyl acetate), poly(vinyl butyral-co-vinyl alcohol-co-vinyl acetate), poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate), poly(1-vinyl pyrrolidone-co-vinyl acetate), poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(vinylidene fluoride), poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene), poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene), poly(dimethyldiallylammonium) bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide, or poly(dimethylpyrrolidinium) bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide.

Images