Development of an Electronic Circuit for a Quartz Crystal Microbalance

This paper studied the capacity to build a QCM at a lower cost in Brazil mainly for research purposes. The microbalances used in the research field are often too expensive. Looking for a solution to this problem, the created prototype was based on the OpenQCM® microbalance, seeking to reduce manufacturing costs without losing the expected performance of the equipment. The electronic circuit was connected to an Arduino UNO® for reading and processing the measured data. LtSpice® and EasyEDA® softwares were used to create and simulate the circuit. OpenQCM® Wi2 software was used for graphical visualization of the obtained data. The microbalance performed satisfactorily in experiments with fluids such as water, starch solution and crystal violet film (formed by casting after being mixed with an ethanolic dye solution), resulting in a prototype that can be used in academic research as a cheaper alternative to those available on the market. The microbalance creates greater opportunities for a better development in the Brazilian academic environment, where electronic equipment is expensive, making it unfeasible for students to use it, especially in public universities. **Keywords:** quartz crystal microbalance; prototype construction; low budget equipment; chemical tests in academic laboratories; arduino.