NanoEnhanced Toxic Industrial Chemicals Sensor

The detection and classification of toxic industrial chemicals (TICS) is an important capability to the nation’s defense forces, first responder units, and law enforcement, not to mention the more traditional needs in industrial monitoring and control, construction, and even household applications. First responders, in all levels of government, need to be warned of the presence and type of TICS when first arriving at the scene of plant explosions, fires, terrorist attacks, and other events. Law enforcement organizations also require this capability when reconning and raiding anticipated drug manufacturing and distribution sites, monitoring the nation’s borders, and many other activities. All of these applications may be looking at different types of chemicals, but they may also be acquiring the samples in different ways and may also have different concepts of operation when utilizing a TICS detector.The goal of the proposed effort is to enhance the capability of TICS detection for these applications through advanced nanofabrication processes and realize a small, versatile, and sensitive detector for TICS.