Nanomaterials for enhanced detection of explosives and mitigation of explosive events
F1-B
Download the 2012 Project Report
This research is focused on the synthesis of nanomaterials which can be incorporated into high explosives. Alternative applications, depending on the material’s composition, include incorporation in composites to either increase the resistance to blast or for enhanced detection post-blast. This year’s focus has been to synthesize high surface area, low density, inorganic and organic nanomaterials which have modifiable pore structure for the incorporation of energetic materials. To this end we have synthesized the first nitrocellulose aerogels and expanded the protocol to tune and modify the pore structure of the materials. In addition composite aerogel materials of nitrocellulose (or metal oxide) with high explosives incorporated into the materials pore structure have been prepared. These composite materials are novel in that they are the first to combine the two phases into a single phase system such that the density of the high explosive can be modified.
We wanted to make an optically activated material, so that if, for example, a bomb squad want to blow up a car they suspect has a terrorist device inside, they would have something they could remotely place under the car and then activate it with a laser, rather than someone having to go in there and wire it up.- Louisa Hope-Weeks, Project Lead
Project Leader
Louisa Hope-Weeks
Professor
Texas Tech University
Email
Faculty and Staff Currently Involved in Project
Students Currently Involved in Project
- Simerjeet Gill
Texas Tech University - Preston Brown, PhD
Texas Tech University - Victoria Zelnick
Hillsdale College - Marauo Davis
Texas Tech University