Detection of Explosives using nanofibrous membranes

We report an inexpensive and simple approach for the fabrication of high surface area sensing elements using electrospinning. The nanofibrous membranes formed could be used as chemiresistors as well as fluorescence quenching sensors depending on the receptor used. For chemiresistor type sensors, conducting polymer (CP) nanotubes have been fabricated by combining electrospinning and vapor deposition polymerization. UV-Visible spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirm the formation of CP on the fiber. For an optical response, fluorescent dyes have been incorporated on the surface of the nanofibers. The quenching of fluorescence typically follows a Stern-Volmer type bimolecular quenching relationship. The morphological characterization was carried out using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The response of these sensors to an explosive stimulant will be discussed.