Applications of Molybdenum Utilized in Sensing Devices

Abstract

Peroxide-based explosives such as TATP and HMTD have been used in numerous terrorist attacks worldwide and, even in Oklahoma, people have been injured and killed by these dangerous explosives. There have also been attempts to smuggle ingredients for peroxide-based explosives onto aircraft to produce bombs during flights. A cost effective, and quick method for detecting peroxide based explosives was developed that utilizes the dramatic color change from blue to white when Mo(V) centers in molybdenum bronzes react with peroxides. In this thesis two mechanisms are discussed by which this process takes place. One which utilizes molybdenum trioxide with butanol as the solvent. The 2nd method in this thesis is a reduction of molybdenum trioxide by aqueous sodium gluconate in a one-pot synthesis of a dark blue ink that is sensitive to H2O2. This ink can be used to produce test strips that can detect H2O2 at concentrations as little as 206 ppm, well below the concentration that it would actually take to make an effective explosive.