Technologies to Defeat Improvised Explosive Devices (IED’s)

The overall goal of this Phase II project is to develop the Nanobreath® detection system for proximity detection of explosives at 50 meters, and specifically detection of peroxide improvised explosive devices (IED’s) such as TATP and HMTD. Pentagon statistics show that about half the U.S. battle deaths occurred as a result of homemade, easy-to-hide IED’s. Proximity vapor sampling and detection is non-invasive and allows wide area detection from stationary or moving air sampling. In the Phase I SBIR project, Nanotherapeutics, Inc. was successful in demonstrating proximity detection of triacetone triperoxide (TATP) peroxide explosive using its proprietary Nanobreath® preconcentrator and 4-SAW array. The current Nanobreath® setup was successfully able to provide sensitive and vapor specific detection proportional to a 100 gram TATP IED 5 to 10 meters away and Phase II studies are proposed to improve the sensitivity and specificity resulting in a device that can provide rapid detection of concealed explosives at safe distances (50 meters). The Phase II project will include development and testing of a robust, commercializable detection system (System modification, IED agent vapor quantification, IED agent challenge, laboratory interference tests, and field interference tests) in collaboration with its commercialization partner RF Monolithics, Inc.