Detection of Nitroaromatic Explosives in Air by Amino-Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes

Nitroaromatic explosives are the most common explosives, and their detection is important to public security, human health, and environmental protection. In particular, the detection of solid explosives through directly revealing the presence of their vapors in air would be desirable for compact and portable devices. In this study, amino-functionalized carbon nanotubes were used to produce resistive sensors to detect nitroaromatic explosives by interaction with their vapors. Devices formed by carbon nanotube networks working at room temperature revealed trinitrotoluene, one of the most common nitroaromatic explosives, and di-nitrotoluene-saturated vapors, with reaction and recovery times of a few and tens of seconds, respectively. This type of resistive device is particularly simple and may be easily combined with low-power electronics for preparing portable devices

Growth and functionalization of carbon nanotubes for nitroaromatic explosive detection

This paper presents the synthesis and functionalization of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with amino groups to prepare sensors for detecting explosives, in particular nitroaromatic explosives such as TNT. CNTs have been grown by aerosol-chemical vapor deposition (A-CVD) technique and analyzed by SEM, TEM Raman and IR spectroscopy methods. Very smooth and long CNTs with good electrical conductive properties have been obtained. Two steps of functionalization process have been performed, oxidation and amidation. Infrared absorption and elemental analysis confirmed the successful functionalization of the CNTs

Multi-year project: UnExploDe: Portable sensors for unmanned explosive detection

The project's aim is to prepare portable sensors for explosives based on semiconductor nanowires or carbon nanotubes. Nanostructures permit the preparation of sensitive, very compact and lightweight chemical sensors able to detect the air presence of molecules of explosives emitted by solid explosives, such as Tri-Nitro-Toluene (TNT). Devices based on functionalised nanostructures have the advantage of very low electrical consumption, high chemical sensitivity, and simple technology. This will allow the mounting of the sensor on unmanned aerial vehicles such as drones able to explore hazardous environments without the direct human interventio

Multi-year project: UnExploDe: Portable sensors for unmanned explosive detection

The project's aim is to prepare portable sensors for explosives based on semiconductor nanowires or carbon nanotubes. Nanostructures permit the preparation of sensitive, very compact and lightweight chemical sensors able to detect the air presence of molecules of explosives emitted by solid explosives, such as Tri-Nitro-Toluene (TNT). Devices based on functionalised nanostructures have the advantage of very low electrical consumption, high chemical sensitivity, and simple technology. This will allow the mounting of the sensor on unmanned aerial vehicles such as drones able to explore hazardous environments without the direct human interventio