Abstract

Background: Polymeric nanocomposites containing metal oxides are of interest to researchers because these materials show hybrid properties that are generated from both components. Due to the control and design of structural properties at the nanoscale scale, they have specialized properties for a range of applications. Researchers have tried to improve the desirable characteristics and thus increase their application by reinforcing them with nanoscale materials to provide them with better properties than conventional micro composites.

Objective: In our present work we have used 5-sulphosalicylic acid doped polyaniline-γ-Fe₂O₃ composite (Fe-SPAni) to detect explosives using fluorescence quenching method. Along with ease of synthesis and low cost, Fe-SPAni possesses a variable oxidation state which is important for trace detection of the analytes.

Methods: We used the fluorophore Fe-SPAni to detect High Energy Materials (HEMs) using the fluorescence quenching approach, which is still difficult to achieve. UV-V is spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM/EDAX) were used to determine the molecular structure of the Fe-SPAni composite produced by oxidative chemical polymerization; CV studies were performed to investigate the electrochemical properties. HEMs such as dinitrobenzene (DNB), pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), trinitrotoulene (TNT), 1,3,5-trinitroperhydro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), and hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane(CL-20) were used as quenchers.The fluorescence quenching process was determined using the Stern-Volmer graph.

Results: The Stern-Volmer(S-V) plot and limit of detection (LOD) data showed that PETN had the greatest results for the quenching constant value (Ksv) (Ksv =1.33 x 10⁶ M^-1 and 1.4x 10^-6M, respectively).

Conclusion: The research points to Fe-SPAni as a promising contender for sensing explosives.