Detasheet

Abstract: This study demonstrates the use of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) to extract and pre-concentrate volatile signatures from static air above plastic explosive samples followed by detection using ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) optimized to detect the volatile, non-energetic components rather than the energetic materials. Currently, sample collection for detection by commercial IMS analyzers is conducted through swiping of suspected surfaces for explosive particles and vapor sampling. The first method is not suitable for sampling inside large volume areas, and the latter method is not effective because the low vapor pressure of some explosives such as RDX and PETN make them not readily available in the air for headspace sampling under ambient conditions. For the first time, headspace sampling and detection of Detasheet, Semtex H, and C-4 is reported using SPME-IMS operating under one universal setting with limits of detection ranging from 1.5 to 2.5 ng for the target volatile signatures. The target signature compounds n-butyl acetate and the taggant DMNB are associated with untagged and tagged Detasheet explosives, respectively. Cyclohexanone and DMNB are associated with tagged C-4 explosives. DMNB is associated with tagged Semtex H explosives. Within 10 to 60 s of sampling, the headspace inside a glass vial containing 1 g of explosive, more than 20 ng of the target signatures can be extracted by the SPME fiber followed by IMS detection.

Abstract: The thermal behaviors of three pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) base polymer bonded explosives (PBX), Detasheet A (EL506A, red) and Datasheet C (EL506C, yellow-green) that supply by DuPont Co., PBXN-301 were investigated using thermal techniques in this work. The thermal properties of PETN base polymer bonded explosives, such as vacuum thermal stability (VTS), time to ignition, auto-ignition and shelf life of PBX that calculation from Arrhenius equation by the length of time for 5% decomposition were also examined. By comparing the thermal properties, VTS and shelf life of PETN base polymer bonded explosives, the application and storage of Datasheet C (EL506C, yellow-green) should be considered carefully, owing to the ingredients of Datasheet C (EL506 C, yellow-green) containing nitrocellulose. Binders that using in this study seems play no significant effect on the decomposition for polymer bonded explosives, because the decomposition temperature of binders is always higher than that of PETN.

Abstract: Trace explosive test surfaces are often required for the evaluation of trace detection equipment to determine the equipment performance. Test surfaces of C-4, Detasheet, Semtex-H, TNT, and HMTD were prepared by transferring trace amount of explosive deposited on polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) transfer strips onto different surfaces (Kraft paper, hard plastic, woven fabric, and soft vinyl). The amount of explosive transferred was deduced from the amount of explosive remaining on the PTFE strips after transfer, as quantified by direct analysis using tandem mass spectrometry with thermal desorption. From the data set of over 2000 transfers, we experienced lower transfer efficiency for Semtex-H and Detasheet, and for soft vinyl and hard plastic. However, the rapid quantification mass spectrometric method allowed the transfer efficiency to be determined for all test surfaces used in an evaluation of trace explosive detectors, thereby permitting only the test surfaces with desired transfer to be accepted for the assessment.

Abstract: The Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) managed and operated by Lockheed Martin Idaho Technologies Company (LMITCO) was tasked via the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and US Department of Energy (DOE) to conduct various studies involving the detection and measurement of explosive materials and their associated residues. This report details the results of an investigation to determine the particle size characteristics of the explosive materials used in the design, development, and testing of trace explosives detection systems. These materials, in the form of water suspensions of plastic explosives, are used to provide a quantitative means of monitoring the performance characteristics of the detection systems. The purpose of this investigation is to provide data that allows a comparison between the particles deposited using the suspension standards and the particles deposited from fingerprints. This information may support the development of quality control aids, measurement methods, or performance criteria specifications for the use of trace explosives detection systems. For this report, particle size analyses were completed on explosives standard suspensions/solutions for composition C-4, Semtex-H, and Detasheet and fingerprints for C-4, Detasheet, and pentolite. Because of the difficulty in collecting microscopic images of the particles in the suspensions from test protocol surfaces, this paper discusses the characteristics of the particles as they are found on metal, glass, and paper. The results of the particle characterization analyses indicate that the water suspensions contain particulate composed of binder materials and dissolved portions of the explosive compounds. Upon drying of the water suspensions, significant particle nucleation and growth is observed. The nucleated particulate is comparable to the particulate deposited by fingerprints.