In previous studies, the response to NO2 of a number of substituted azobenz
enes was characterised for sensitivity and kinetics over a range of tempera
tures. These studies indicated that the optimal sensor of this sort must be
based on a chromophore with a binding energy for the target gas of approxi
mately 70 kJ mol(-1). Here, we present data for the best chromophore which
has resulted, dispersed in an addition-cure polysiloxane matrix. We charact
erise the activation energy for the binding of NO2 to the azobenzene sites
and report measurements of the response time of thin films from which the d
iffusion constant of NO2 in the matrix is deduced. We report on the behavio
ur of the films when operated in the cycled mode. We present quartz-crystal
microbalance data allowing absolute calibration of the fractional site occ
upancy in a related system.