Unambiguous detection of nitrated explosive vapours by fluorescence quenching of dendrimer films.

ABSTRACT: Unambiguous and selective standoff (non-contact) infield detection of nitro-containing explosives and taggants is an important goal but difficult to achieve with standard analytical techniques. Oxidative fluorescence quenching is emerging as a high sensitivity method for detecting such materials but is prone to false positives—everyday items such as perfumes elicit similar responses. Here we report thin films of light-emitting dendrimers that detect vapours of explosives and taggants selectively—fluorescence quenching is not observed for a range of common interferents. Using a combination of neutron reflectometry, quartz crystal microbalance and photophysical measurements we show that the origin of the selectivity is primarily electronic and not the diffusion kinetics of the analyte or its

SUBMITTER: Geng Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4579782 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature