Peroxide-based explosives pose a deadly risk to society through both the actions of terrorists and through autoxidation reactions that turn certain laboratory solvents into ticking time bombs. The improvised explosives based on peroxide, such as TATP and HMTD, are so shock, friction, impact, electrical discharge, and heat sensitive that they even pose a significant hazard to bomb squads. Indeed, many local bomb squads will call in a specialized FBI team if the presence of peroxide-based explosives is suspected. Recently, a house was burned in California rather than deal with HMTD present within. In the case of peroxide-forming solvents, there have been many incidences of explosions leading to serious injuries and damage as the result of detonation of peroxides. Clearly there is a need to detect and identify these explosives and to prevent the formation of peroxides in solvents. Nanoparticulate colorimetric reagents that can detect and/or neutralize peroxide explosives will be discussed.

Nanometric solutions for the threat of peroxide explosives encountered in the laboratory or due to terrorism

243rd National Meeting (2012)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.