NANOMATERIALS AND QUANTUM DOTS FOR ELECTROCHEMICAL SENSING OF NITRO-AROMATICS-BASED EXPLOSIVES: A SHORT REVIEW

Abstract

Explosives can be divided into low and high, the efficient detection of which is of utmost importance for security reasons. A major component of high explosives is the nitroaromatic compounds. These explosives, when sealed, have difficulty detecting. In this review work, the major techniques for explosive detection i.e. animal olfaction, calorimetric sensors, immunosensors, ion mobility spectrometry, and Raman spectroscopy are discussed. The materials or compounds comprising nitroaromatic sensors have been a topic of major research for the last three decades. Nanomaterials do provide an acceptable solution for portable, affordable, and efficient detection of analytes of explosive nature due to their redox properties. 3D nanomaterials like TiO2, Au, SiO2, Ag and CdSe-ZnS, 0D materials like CdSe, CdTe, ZnS and MoS2 can detect nitroaromatic compounds efficiently. In the upcoming technology, the incorporation of quantum dots is also considered for explosive detection. As an option for prospective research in the field, development in the use of boron nitride for detecting explosives is also a good option. A comprehensive review of such materials is discussed in this review paper.