Sensor detects explosives in the ground

A new type of chemical sensor can help engineers locate the right mine or explosive buried underground without the need to deploy complex equipment.

The new sensor, made from nanofibres, can 'smell' the explosives from underground explosive devices and announce a chemical reaction. Allows visual detection.

Nanofibres turned dark when they smelled explosives - (Photo: UConn)

Without explosives, the nanofibres remain light blue in fluorescence; On the contrary, the film is dark and appears on the black ring within minutes.

'The first test results are very promising , ' says AFP 's Ying Wang, who invented the system along with a biochemist. "We are preparing to conduct a large-scale field experiment in Sweden," Wang said.

While the explosive may be inserted inside the mine shell or other explosive devices, the cover is not very tight, resulting in a slight odor, which allows the chemical sensor to be found.

The sensor film is lightweight, like paper, that can spread out over the confined area easily.