Development of Chemiresponsive Sensors for Detection of Common Homemade Explosives

Technical Report · Tue May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1048493· OSTI ID:1048493

Brotherton, Christopher M. ^[1]; Wheeler, David Roger ^[2]

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1. Sandia National Lab. (SNL), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Contraband Detection
2. Sandia National Lab. (SNL), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Materials Science

Field-structured chemiresistors (FSCRs) are polymer based sensors that exhibit a resistance change when exposed to an analyte of interest. The amount of resistance change depends on the polymer-analyte affinity. The affinity can be manipulated by modifying the polymer within the FSCRs. In this paper, we investigate the ability of chemically modified FSCRs to sense hydrogen peroxide vapor. Five chemical species were chosen based on their hydrophobicity or reactivity with hydrogen peroxide. Of the five investigated, FSCRs modified with allyl methyl sulfide exhibited a significant response to hydrogen peroxide vapor. Additionally, these same FSCRs were evaluated against a common interferrant in hydrogen peroxide detection, water vapor. For the conditions investigated, the FSCRs modified with allyl methyl sulfide were able to successfully distinguish between water vapor and hydrogen peroxide vapor. A portion of the results presented here will be submitted to the Sensors and Actuators journal.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 1048493
• Report Number(s): SAND2012--3744
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
ACTUATORS
AFFINITY
DETECTION
EXPLOSIVES
HYDROGEN PEROXIDE
POLYMERS
SENSORS
SULFIDES
WATER VAPOR