New films can reveal traces of explosives

San Diego -- U.S. chemists say new spray-on polymer films they've developed might become the basis of portable devices that can spot nitrogen-based explosives.

The University of California-San Diego researchers said contaminated fingerprints leave dark shadows on the films, which glow blue under ultraviolet light. One film can distinguish between different classes of explosive chemicals -- a property the scientists said might provide evidence to help solve a crime, or prevent one.

Detection relies on fluorescent polymers developed at University of California-San Diego by Professor William Trogler and graduate student Jason Sanchez.

"It's a very intuitive detection method that doesn't require a scientist to run," Trogler said.

Trogler's group is developing similar systems to detect explosives based on peroxides.

Sanchez and Trogler are to detail the synthesis and properties of their polymers in a forthcoming issue of the Journal of Materials Chemistry.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.