Trace Explosives Detection by Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy (CRDS)

Abstract

We built three successive versions of a thermal decomposition cavity ring-down spectrometer and tested their response to explosives. These explosive compound analyzers successfully detected nitroglycerine, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), pentaerythryl tetranitrate, hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-s-triazine and triacetone triperoxide (TATP). We determined the pathlength and limits of detection for each, with the best limit of detection being 13 parts per trillion (ppt) of TNT. For most of the explosive tests, the peak height was higher than the expected value, meaning that peroxy radical chain propagation was occurring with each of the explosives and not just the peroxide TATP.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 2021
Accession Number
AD1145264

Entities

People

  • Anthony J. Bednar
  • Bobbi S. Stromer
  • James Hargrove
  • John Hargrove
  • John S. Allen
  • Matt Trapani
  • Milo Janjic
  • Scott Becker
  • Tamara Kylloe

Organizations

  • Engineer Research and Development Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Counter IED
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Pollution
  • Analyzers
  • Army
  • Army Corps Of Engineers
  • Chemical Elements
  • Detection
  • Detectors
  • Engineers
  • Explosive Devices
  • Explosives
  • Explosives Detection
  • Filters
  • Instrumentation
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Measurement
  • Nitrogen Oxides
  • Spectroscopy

Readers

  • Agricultural Chemistry/Soil Science
  • Optical Fiber Sensing and Electromagnetic Propagation.
  • Organic Chemistry