High-performance liquid sensing using phononic crystals : experiments and numerical analysis

Abstract

This work describes the complete development of a two-dimensional phononic crystal (2D PnC) sensor for liquid mixture characterization. This research is divided into three distinct sections. The first part of this work involves creating a COMSOL Multiphysics model of the phononic-fluidic sensor to study acoustic wave propagation and sensor response through detailed simulations. The second section describ the optimization process followed by fabrication of the 2D phononic crystal, which features a square lattice of air holes inside a stainless steel matrix. The developed structure served for identifying different unknown liquid mixtures, including acetone–water, nickel chloride– water, and sodium chloride–water solutions. In addition, the experimental measurement of the acoustic transmission spectra led to the development of calibration curves for each mixture, which enables concentration identification. Moreover, this study evaluates the sensor performance through measurements of sensitivity and quality factor (Q-factor). The third section of this research involves creating a graphical user interface (GUI) to support real-time data acquisition and analysis. The interface underwent testing, which confirmed its reliable operational performance.