A sensing element for use in the detection of an analyte based on a luminescent response, the sensing element comprising a luminescent triaryl amine compound provided as a coating on a substrate.

A carbon electrode having a functional moiety that forms a charge-transfer complex with a nitro-containing compound covalently attached to a surface of the electrode, and a process of preparing such an electrode are provided. Also provided are sensing systems integrating the carbon electrode and methods utilizing same for electrochemical detection of nitro-containing compounds.

An explosive detection system may include a suction nozzle having a suction port for introducing air containing explosive particles at one end thereof, a discharge nozzle having a discharge port for discharging air at one end thereof, a sensing block in which a detection material capable of detecting explosive particles in the air is disposed, a sensor unit for emitting light to the sensing block and outputting a sensing signal, a first guide pipe connected to the other end of the suction nozzle and guiding the air introduced through the suction nozzle to the sensing block in which the detection material is disposed, a suction force generating unit formed at the other end of the discharge nozzle and to suck air through the suction port and to provide a suction force for sucking air into the sensing block and discharging the air to a discharge port formed at one end of the discharge nozzle, a second guide pipe formed between the sensing block and the suction force generating unit and discharging the air introduced into the sensing block by the suction force generated by the suction force generating unit to the discharge port of the discharge nozzle, and a controller for determining whether explosive particles are present in the air using the sensing signal.

Methods for the detection of the permeation of chemical compounds across a membrane are provided herein.

An unmanned vehicle operated autonomously or by remotely piloting incorporates an onboard camera which is affixed with clear tape coated with a chemical colorimetric sensor dye sensitive to chemical warfare agents. Chemical warfare agents are detected by visual review or autonomous measurement of sensor color changes while the unmanned vehicle travels through a region suspected of having chemical warfare agents present. In various implementations, the sensor output color changes may be visually monitored by a vehicle operator viewing the camera image from a remote location. In various embodiments, the detection of chemical warfare agents may be confirmed by processing the coated tape with a calibrated opto-electronic reader.

A nanostructure sensing device comprises a semiconductor nanostructure having an outer surface, and at least one of metal or metal-oxide nanoparticle clusters functionalizing the outer surface of the nanostructure and forming a photoconductive nanostructure/nanocluster hybrid sensor enabling light-assisted sensing of a target analyte.

The invention is directed towards an Aerodynamic Automated Biological Assay Device (AABAD) comprising an aerodynamic substrate having a microfluidic cassette and an electronic module, and a system and a method of deploying the same to detect biological agents and hazards suspended in an atmosphere. The AABAD may be in the form/shape of a maple seed/fruit to induce autorotation. A plurality of AABADs are dispersed into the atmosphere from an aircraft or drone. The AABADs rotate via centrifugal forces without motor or active propulsion system while descending to the ground, wherein during the descent, the AABADs microfluidic cassettes collect and process the air samples via a centrifugal force formed from the autorotation generated by the airborne carrier, and to analyze and transmits the results to a remote location.

A method to make metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in which a first aqueous solution of a transition metal salt is mixed with a second aqueous solution of an imidazole or alkyl-substituted imidazole to yield a product solution containing MOF crystals. The MOF crystals are used to fabricate electrodes for electrochemical detection of nitro-aromatic compounds.

In the specification and drawings, an apparatus for conducting hot work is described and shown with an enclosure; a hot work apparatus operable within the enclosure; and a detector located exterior of the enclosure, the detector being in detecting communication with the interior of the enclosure, such that the detector detects the presence of a condition within the enclosure. A method of conducting hot work is also described and shown.

The discrimination ability of a chemical sensing cross-reactive arrays is enhanced by constructing sensing elements in two dimensions, first in the x-y plane of the substrate, second in the z dimension so that the sensors are vertically stacked on top of one another. Stacking sensing elements on top of one another adds to the discrimination ability by enabling the characteristic measurement of how fast target chemicals are passing through the stack of sensors. The new invention also allows the ability to discriminate components in a sample mixture by separating them using their innate difference in diffusional rates. Multi-sensor response patterns at each z level of sensors and time delay information from the sample passing from one level to the next are used to generate the response vector. The response vector is used to identify individual component samples and components in a mixture sample.