Method and device for detection of a nitroaromatic explosive

• US 8,231,746 B1
• Filed: 05/28/2008
• Issued: 07/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Bellitto, Victor J.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCDONOUGH, JAMES E
• Application Number:
  US12/214,295
• Time in Patent Office: 1,525 Days
• Field of Search: 149/2, 149/3, 149/6, 149/88, 149/105, 149/108.4, 149/109.6
• US Class Current: 149/3
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/126 comprising organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0057 Warfare agents or explosives

Abstract

Detecting a nitroaromatic explosive via an exothermic chemical reaction of the nitroaromatic explosive with a polyamine or polyamine functional group is accomplished by depositing a polyamine or polyamine-functionalized coating on a microelectrode array and a semiconductor substrate, introducing a nitroaromatic explosive to an exposed surface of the polyamine or polyamine-functionalized coating, and measuring changes in electrical properties of the polyamine or polyamine-functionalized coating associated with the introducing of the nitroaromatic explosive. The nitroaromatic explosive detector comprises a microelectrode array formed on a semiconductor substrate, a polyamine or polyamine-functionalized coating deposited on and contiguous with the microelectrode array and the semiconductor substrate, and a measuring device for measuring any of resistance, conductance, and capacitance across the microelectrode array.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a nitroaromatic explosive, the method comprising:

forming a microelectrode array on a semiconductor substrate;

depositing a polyamine or polyamine-functionalized coating on the microelectrode array and the semiconductor substrate;

introducing a nitroaromatic explosive to an exposed surface of the polyamine or polyamine-functionalized coating; and

measuring changes in electrical properties of the polyamine or polyamine-functionalized coating associated with the introducing of the nitroaromatic explosive,

wherein a chemical reaction between a polyamine molecule or polyamine functional group of the polyamine or polyamine-functionalized coating and an explosive nitroaromatic molecule is exothermic.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the depositing of the polyamine or polyamine-functionalized coating on the microelectrode array and the semiconductor substrate comprises vapor deposition of the polyamine or polyamine-functionalized coating.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the depositing of the polyamine-functionalized coating on the microelectrode array and the semiconductor substrate comprises depositing a polyamine-functionalized silica-gel.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the polyamine coating comprises any of diethylenetriamine (DETA), N-(3-aminopropyl)-1,3-propanediamine, ethylenediamine, 1,3-diaminopropane, 1,4-diaminobutane, 1,5-diaminopentane, 1,12-dodecanediamine (Spermine), hexamethylenediamine, bis(hexamethylene)triamine, N,N′

-diethylethylenediamine, tris(2-aminoethyl)amine, N,N-diethylethylenediamine, diethylenetriaminepentaacetate (DTPA), [3-(2-aminoethylamino)propyl]trimethoxysilane, and 3-[2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethylamino]propyl-trimethoxysilane.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the polyamine-functionalized coating comprises any of 3-(diethylenetriamino)propyl-functionalized silica, 3-(ethylenediamino)propyl-functionalized silica, and 3-aminopropyl-functionalized silica.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the introducing of a nitroaromatic explosive comprises introducing any of 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT), 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene (TNT), 2,4,6-trinitrophenyl-N-methlynitramine (Tetryl), 1,3,5-trinitro-2-[2-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)ethenyl]benzene (HNS), 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (picric acid) and its salts, 1,3,5-triazido-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TNB), 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB), 2,4,6-trinitroaniline (TNA), 2,4,6 trinitro-1,3 benzenediamine (DATB), and 2-diazo-4,6-dinitrophenol (DDNP).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the measuring changes in electrical properties of the polyamine or polyamine-functionalized coating comprises measuring any of resistance, conductance, and capacitance across the microelectrode array.

8. A nitroaromatic explosive detector, comprising:

a microelectrode array formed on a semiconductor substrate;

a polyamine or polyamine-functionalized coating deposited on and contiguous with the microelectrode array and the semiconductor substrate,

wherein the polyamine or polyamine-functionalized coating includes an exposed surface upon which the nitroaromatic explosive is adsorbed; and

a measuring device for measuring any of resistance, conductance, and capacitance across the microelectrode array to detect the nitroaromatic explosive,

wherein a chemical reaction between a polyamine or polyamine functional group molecule of the polyamine or polyamine-functionalized coating and an explosive nitroaromatic molecule is exothermic.

9. The nitroaromatic explosive detector of claim 8, wherein the polyamine or polyamine functionalized coating on the microelectrode array and the semiconductor substrate is vapor deposited to a thickness from about 1 nm to about 100,000 nm.

10. The nitroaromatic explosive detector of claim 8, wherein the polyamine-functionalized coating on the microelectrode array and the semiconductor substrate comprises a polyamine-functionalized silica-gel deposited to a thickness from about 1 nm to about 100,000 nm.

11. The nitroaromatic explosive detector of claim 8, wherein the polyamine coating comprises any of diethylenetriamine (DETA), N-(3-aminopropyl)-1,3-propanediamine, ethylenediamine, 1,3-diaminopropane, 1,4-diaminobutane, 1,5-diaminopentane, 1,12-dodecanediamine (Spermine), hexamethylenediamine, bis(hexamethylene)triamine, N,N′

-diethylethylenediamine, tris(2-aminoethyl)amine, N,N-diethylethylenediamine, diethylenetriaminepentaacetate (DTPA), [3-(2-aminoethylamino)propyl]trimethoxysilane, and 3-[2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethylamino]propyl-trimethoxysilane.

12. The nitoaromatic explosive detector of claim 8, wherein the polyamine-functionalized coating comprises any of 3-(diethylenetriamino)propyl-functionalized silica, 3-(ethylenediamino)propyl-functionalized silica, and 3-aminopropyl-functionalized silica.

13. The nitroaromatic explosive detector of claim 8, wherein the nitroaromatic explosive comprises any of 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT), 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene (TNT), 2,4,6-trinitrophenyl-N-methlynitramine (Tetryl), 1,3,5-trinitro-2-[2-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)ethenyl]benzene (HNS), 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (picric acid) and its salts, 1,3,5-triazido-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TNB), 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB), 2,4,6-trinitroaniline (TNA), 2,4,6 trinitro-1,3 benzenediamine (DATB), and 2-diazo-4,6-Dinitrophenol (DDNP).

14. The nitroaromatic explosive detector of claim 8, wherein the microelectrode array comprises any of silver, gold, platinum, palladium, nickel, chromium, copper, iron, tungsten, titanium, zinc, manganese, tantalum, and aluminum.

15. The nitroaromatic explosive detector of claim 8, wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises any of silicon, indium nitride, silicon dioxide, germanium, gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, silicon carbide, and silicon nitride.

16. The nitroaromatic explosive detector of claim 8, wherein the measuring device for measuring any of resistance, conductance, and capacitance further comprises a direct current power supply and a time-varying power supply.