Explosive sensors

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have created complex molecules containing zinc for use in portable sensors that can quickly and reliably detect the presence of plastic explosives.

Sensors containing the zinc complexes are also the first devices that allow the user to identify which type of explosive is present, since each metal complex has a unique response to an explosive.

'This is a big improvement over existing sensors based on polymers, since the metal complexes can discriminate between closely related explosives compounds,' said Michael Knapp, a Prof of chemistry at the university. 'This ability is a real advantage for airport security personnel and law enforcement officials, who need to quickly detect and identify what type of explosives they are dealing with.'

Results of the study by Knapp, doctoral candidate Meaghan Germain and undergraduate student Thomas Vargo were published on April 23 in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.