Bengaluru researchers develop durable sensor to detect explosives
As per the department of science and technology (DST), the innovation — based on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) — overcomes long-standing limitations in the field by improving both sensitivity and long-term stability.
The breakthrough was achieved by Jil Rose Perutil, S Prashanth, Channabasaveshwar V Yelamaggad, Pavan Nukala, and Neena S John from the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru, an autonomous institute of DST.
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"The team engineered a multilayer nanomaterial combining reduced graphene oxide (rGO), silver nanoparticles, and cerium oxide on a glass substrate — each layer serving a distinct role in improving performance," DST said.
Silver, though excellent at amplifying molecular "fingerprint" signals essential for SERS, tends to degrade in humid or warm environments. A protective coating of cerium oxide solves this by shielding the silver layer from environmental wear while enhancing charge transfer, further boosting signal clarity.
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The rGO layer, meanwhile, suppresses unwanted background fluorescence from silver, allowing the actual detection signal to stand out.
"The researchers demonstrated the system's high sensitivity using 4-mercaptobenzoic acid as a model analyte and achieved detection limits as low as 10 nanomolar. More significantly, the same platform could detect explosives like TNT and RDX at similar nanomolar levels," DST said.
Tests in environmental chambers confirmed that the sensor maintained high performance even in extreme conditions — 90% humidity and 7 °C — showcasing its potential for rugged, field-ready deployment.
"Developed using a physical vapour deposition technique, the sensor's fabrication process is uniform and scalable, suggesting commercial promise. With its combination of durability, simplicity, and precision, the team says the platform could be used in airport screening systems, defence applications, or even environmental monitoring where detecting trace contaminants rapidly is critical," DST added.
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