Remote Sensing of CWAs Using Smart Polymers and RFID Readout

Military combatants face the threat of unconventional radiological, biological and chemical agents. Sensors that can detect the presence of these warfare modes, particularly chemical warfare agents, are vital to protecting U.S. forces personnel and their assets. Almost all of the currently available devices for chemical warfare agent detection require electrical power, wherein the power source itself imposes a significant logistical burden on the sensor and becomes a limiting factor in size reduction. This has led to significant interest in new sensor devices that can operate without an active power source. The proposed Phase I study involves development of a novel reactive polymer incorporating nanomaterials which specifically and selectively react to the presence of chemical agents. The reactive polymer will be incorporated into a microscale sensor designed for powerless operation, whereby RFID technology enables the device to be passively powered and interrogated from a remote reader. Additional advantages of the approach include the ability to vary the reactive polymer"s composition for detection of a range of threat agents and hazardous chemicals. The constituent materials and components of the device are low cost and commercially available. In Phase I, we will demonstrate the feasibility of the novel reactive polymer in an experimental microscale detection format, using surrogate chemical agents.