Apparatus for sensing nitroaromatics

Abstract

The subject invention pertains to a method and apparatus for sensing nitroaromatics. The subject invention can utilize luminescent, for example fluorescent and/or electroluminescent, aryl substituted polyacetylenes and/or other substituted polyacetylenes which are luminescent for sensing nitroaromatics. In a specific embodiment, the subject invention can utilize thin films of fluorescent and/or electroluminescent aryl substituted polyacetylenes and/or other substituted polyacetylenes which are fluorescent and/or electroluminescent. In a specific embodiment, the fluorescence from thin films of fluorescent, substituted polyacetylene, such as—poly-[1-phenyl-2-(4-trimethylsilylphenyl)ethyne] (PTMSDPA) is strongly quenched by the vapors of a variety of nitroaromatic compounds present at levels ranging from parts-per-million to parts-per-billion in air.

1 - 30 . (canceled) 
   
   
       31 . An apparatus for detecting the presence of a nitroaromatic, comprising:
 (a) a means for exposing a luminescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene to a volume of a gaseous fluid; and   (b) a means for monitoring the amount of luminescence emitted from the luminescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene, wherein a decrease in the luminescence emitted from the luminescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene indicates the presence of a nitroaromatic in the volume of gaseous fluid.   
   
   
       32 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the luminescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene is fluorescent. 
   
   
       33 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the luminescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene is electroluminescent. 
   
   
       34 . The apparatus according to  claim 32 , wherein exposing the fluorescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene to the nitroaromatic causes a decrease in the luminescence emitted from the fluorescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene due to quenching of fluorescence of the fluorescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene. 
   
   
       35 . The apparatus method according to  claim 33 , wherein exposing the electroluminescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene to the nitroaromatic causes a decrease in the luminescence emitted from the electroluminescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene due to quenching of electroluminescence of the electroluminescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene. 
   
   
       36 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the means monitoring the amount of luminescence emitted from the luminescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene comprises a means for monitoring the rate at which the amount of luminescence from the luminescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene changes as a function of time. 
   
   
       37 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the means monitoring the amount of luminescence emitted from the luminescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene allows a user to visually monitor the amount of luminescence emitted from the luminescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene. 
   
   
       38 . The apparatus according to  claim 34 , further comprising:
 a means for exposing the fluorescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene to excitation illumination of a wavelength which causes fluorescence from the fluorescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene, wherein said means for monitoring fluorescent substituted polyacetylene comprises a means for monitoring the amount of fluorescence emitted from the fluorescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene.   
   
   
       39 . The apparatus according to  claim 35 , further comprising:
 a means for exposing the electroluminescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene to an electric field which causes electroluminescence from the electroluminescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene wherein the means for monitoring the amount of luminescence emitted from the electroluminescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene comprises a means for monitoring the amount of electroluminescence emitted from the electroluminescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene.   
   
   
       40 - 41 . (canceled) 
   
   
       42 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the luminescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene comprises poly-[1-phenyl-2-(4-trimethylsilylphenyl)ethyne]. 
   
   
       43 . The apparatus according to  claim 32 , wherein the fluorescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene comprises poly-[1-phenyl-2-(4-trimethylsilylphenyl)ethyne]. 
   
   
       44 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the nitroaromatic is in the vapor-phase. 
   
   
       45 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the nitroaromatic is selected from the group consisting of 1,4-dinitrobenzene, 2,4-dinitrotoluene, 2,6-dinitroluene, 1,3-dinitrobenzene, 4-nitrotoluene, and 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene. 
   
   
       46 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the luminescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene is a polymer film comprising luminescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene. 
   
   
       47 . The apparatus according to  claim 46 , wherein the polymer film is less than about 1 micron thick. 
   
   
       48 . The apparatus according to  claim 46 , wherein the polymer film is less than about 100 nanometers thick. 
   
   
       49 . The apparatus according to  claim 46 , wherein the thickness of the polymer film is within the range of about 3 nanometers to about 80 nanometers. 
   
   
       50 . The apparatus according to  claim 46 , wherein the thickness of the polymer film is less than about 10 nanometers. 
   
   
       51 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the luminescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene is an active material in a device which produces an electrical signal, wherein the means for monitoring the amount of luminescence emitted from the luminescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene comprises a means for monitoring the electrical signal. 
   
   
       52 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the luminescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene is in a physical form selected from the group consisting of: particles and fibers 
   
   
       53 . The apparatus according to  claim 52 , wherein the mean diameter of the particles is less than about 100 nm. 
   
   
       54 . The apparatus according to  claim 52 , wherein the mean diameter of the fibers is less than about 100 nm. 
   
   
       55 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the means for monitoring the amount of luminescence emitted from the luminescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene comprises a means for monitoring the amount of luminescence emitted from the luminescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene selected from the group consisting of: an eye, a photomultiplier, a solid slate detector, and a charge-couple device (CCD). 
   
   
       56 . The apparatus according to  claim 38 , wherein the means for exposing the fluorescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene to excitation illumination comprises a means for exposing the fluorescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene to excitation illumination comprising an illumination means selected from the group consisting of: laser and LED. 
   
   
       57 . (canceled) 
   
   
       58 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the luminescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene is substituted with a heteroaromatic moiety. 
   
   
       59 . (canceled) 
   
   
       60 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the luminescent bis-aryl substituted polyacetylene is substituted with a chemical group that contains a heteroaromatic moiety.