Raman Sensing Test Paper

An expert at the Institute of Intelligent Science of the Hefei University of Science and Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences used the unique fingerprint information of Raman spectroscopy to develop a Raman sensor strip that can “smell” the smell of explosives. The research results have the characteristics of timeliness, portability, etc. It can detect TNT explosives within 2 minutes, making security inspections in public places more convenient and faster.

The research team led by the National Outstanding Youth Fund and researcher Zhang Zhongping of the Institute of Intelligent Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences is responsible for this project. The relevant research results were recently published in Analytic Chemistry, a well-known chemical journal in the US, and applied for national invention patents.

The detection of suspicious parcels, emails and explosives concealed by terrorists has always been a topic of high concern in the field of international counter-terrorism and public safety. Due to the low volatility and high explosiveness of nitro explosives, airport security mainly relies on ion mobility spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction equipment. It is difficult to achieve rapid, timely and low-cost detection.

Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences' research group said that they printed silver nanoparticles on a filter by inkjet printing technology and added Raman-active molecules to prepare Raman-sensing test papers that are sensitive to TNT.

When detecting TNT residual particles that are invisible to the naked eye, such as envelopes, clothing, packages, and soils, use a low-energy laser (does not destroy the surface of the object and do not require unpacking) to irradiate the surface, vaporize the TNT crystals adhering to the surface, and simultaneously Place the Raman sensor strip over the laser and collect the vapor that has evaporated from the TNT. Then use a Raman instrument to test the test paper. According to the Raman signal change of the Raman active molecule, it is judged and identified whether or not the substance contains TNT.

As long as the surface of the object has 1.6 times 10 negative 17th-gram TNT per square centimeter, this scientific research result can be quickly detected. The test time is within 2 minutes. The work was highly evaluated by relevant research reviewers and considered that “it is highly innovative and provides new means for rapid on-site detection of explosives, and is an outstanding and important research work.”