Luminescent CdSe Quantum Dot Arrays for Rapid Sensing of Explosive Taggants

Chemical sensors based on fluorescent quantum dots have attracted intense interest because of their excellent optical and electronic properties compared to the routinely employed organic dyes. This study reports a CdSe QD-polymer-based luminescent chemosensor, which is an array containing either green-emitting or red-emitting QDs embedded in polycaprolactone as polymer host matrix. We evaluate sensing capability nanocomposites by exposing both vapors explosive taggants, explosive-like molecules, some common solvents. Both exhibit very fast response time <30 s. The limit detection for 3-nitrotoluene, 4-nitrotoluene 2,3-dimethyl-2,3-dinitrobutane, picric acid was found be 0.055, 2.7, 0.7 916.4 ng, respectively. sensor constitutes powerful tool discriminate between taggants (3-nitrotoluene, 4-nitrotoluene, 2,3-dimethyl-2,3-dinitrobutane) shows specific molecular recognition toward acid. type miniaturized QD-based might form basis platform technology perform effective chemical identification preblast postblast.