Automation of the drop-casting deposition method for polymeric sensing films over a quartz crystal microbalance
Abstract This study presents an automated drop-casting deposition method implemented by modifying a micropipette for motor-controlled operation using an interface developed in MATLAB. The system was optimized to deliver precise 2 µL droplets, ensuring uniform film deposition on quartz crystal microb...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Discover Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-025-06757-0 |
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| author | Alexis Iván Bravo-Sánchez Juan Castillo-Mixcóatl Miguel Ángel Moreno-Acosta Omar Sosa-Ramos Marcos Rodríguez-Torres Georgina Beltrán-Pérez Víctor Altuzar Claudia Mendoza-Barrera Severino Muñoz-Aguirre |
| author_facet | Alexis Iván Bravo-Sánchez Juan Castillo-Mixcóatl Miguel Ángel Moreno-Acosta Omar Sosa-Ramos Marcos Rodríguez-Torres Georgina Beltrán-Pérez Víctor Altuzar Claudia Mendoza-Barrera Severino Muñoz-Aguirre |
| author_sort | Alexis Iván Bravo-Sánchez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract This study presents an automated drop-casting deposition method implemented by modifying a micropipette for motor-controlled operation using an interface developed in MATLAB. The system was optimized to deliver precise 2 µL droplets, ensuring uniform film deposition on quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) electrodes. Compared to manual deposition, the automated method showed significant improvements in film surface roughness and thickness uniformity, achieving 2.5 to 3.3 times lower standard deviations in film thickness and up to a 60% reduction in thickness dispersion. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis showed a 3.5 times reduction in surface roughness dispersion for Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films. Statistical analysis using F-tests confirmed the improvement in thickness uniformity for Apiezon L (p = 0.02102), PMMA (p = 0.00283) and ethyl cellulose (p = 0.00120) films. These results highlight the better control provided by the automated system, leading to enhanced gas sensor performance with sensitivity increments up to 30% when exposed to 2130 ppm of heptane and 2060 ppm of ethanol concentrations. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0ef2bc2d8231413295f26040c5b4e4e3 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 3004-9261 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Springer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Discover Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-0ef2bc2d8231413295f26040c5b4e4e32025-08-20T03:22:54ZengSpringerDiscover Applied Sciences3004-92612025-06-017711310.1007/s42452-025-06757-0Automation of the drop-casting deposition method for polymeric sensing films over a quartz crystal microbalanceAlexis Iván Bravo-Sánchez0Juan Castillo-Mixcóatl1Miguel Ángel Moreno-Acosta2Omar Sosa-Ramos3Marcos Rodríguez-Torres4Georgina Beltrán-Pérez5Víctor Altuzar6Claudia Mendoza-Barrera7Severino Muñoz-Aguirre8Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Facultad de Ciencias Físico MatemáticasBenemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Facultad de Ciencias Físico MatemáticasBenemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Facultad de Ciencias Físico MatemáticasBenemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Facultad de Ciencias Físico MatemáticasBenemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Facultad de Ciencias Físico MatemáticasBenemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Facultad de Ciencias Físico MatemáticasBenemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Facultad de Ciencias Físico MatemáticasBenemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Facultad de Ciencias Físico MatemáticasBenemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Facultad de Ciencias Físico MatemáticasAbstract This study presents an automated drop-casting deposition method implemented by modifying a micropipette for motor-controlled operation using an interface developed in MATLAB. The system was optimized to deliver precise 2 µL droplets, ensuring uniform film deposition on quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) electrodes. Compared to manual deposition, the automated method showed significant improvements in film surface roughness and thickness uniformity, achieving 2.5 to 3.3 times lower standard deviations in film thickness and up to a 60% reduction in thickness dispersion. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis showed a 3.5 times reduction in surface roughness dispersion for Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films. Statistical analysis using F-tests confirmed the improvement in thickness uniformity for Apiezon L (p = 0.02102), PMMA (p = 0.00283) and ethyl cellulose (p = 0.00120) films. These results highlight the better control provided by the automated system, leading to enhanced gas sensor performance with sensitivity increments up to 30% when exposed to 2130 ppm of heptane and 2060 ppm of ethanol concentrations.https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-025-06757-0Automated drop-castingMicropipette modificationQCMFilm thickness uniformityAFMSensor sensitivity |
| spellingShingle | Alexis Iván Bravo-Sánchez Juan Castillo-Mixcóatl Miguel Ángel Moreno-Acosta Omar Sosa-Ramos Marcos Rodríguez-Torres Georgina Beltrán-Pérez Víctor Altuzar Claudia Mendoza-Barrera Severino Muñoz-Aguirre Automation of the drop-casting deposition method for polymeric sensing films over a quartz crystal microbalance Discover Applied Sciences Automated drop-casting Micropipette modification QCM Film thickness uniformity AFM Sensor sensitivity |
| title | Automation of the drop-casting deposition method for polymeric sensing films over a quartz crystal microbalance |
| title_full | Automation of the drop-casting deposition method for polymeric sensing films over a quartz crystal microbalance |
| title_fullStr | Automation of the drop-casting deposition method for polymeric sensing films over a quartz crystal microbalance |
| title_full_unstemmed | Automation of the drop-casting deposition method for polymeric sensing films over a quartz crystal microbalance |
| title_short | Automation of the drop-casting deposition method for polymeric sensing films over a quartz crystal microbalance |
| title_sort | automation of the drop casting deposition method for polymeric sensing films over a quartz crystal microbalance |
| topic | Automated drop-casting Micropipette modification QCM Film thickness uniformity AFM Sensor sensitivity |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-025-06757-0 |
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