A new carbon nanotube material for
handheld sensors has been developed by engineers at the University of Utah. This
new material will be able to detect explosives, drugs, and lethal gases. The
carbon nanotube consists of a hexagonal (six-sided) array of carbons that are
rolled up into a tube. This structure is highly electronegative and
strong. This material has been used in touch screen electronics and lithium-ion batteries.
Zang and the other engineers
discovered a way to break the bundles of the carbon nanotubes with a polymer
and then deposited a microscopic amount on electrodes in a scanner to detect for toxic gases and explosives. When the nanotube detects these chemicals, a signal is sent and either increases or decreases the neutral current.
This newly created detector is better than the past versions because they can
detect substances more quickly, easily, and at lower concentrations.
This is an important improvement in
the science field and it will save many lives if used internationally. It can
save people from nearby explosives, lethal gases, and being around illegal
drugs. It will also reduce the amount of illegal drugs being transported
throughout because it will be easily and quickly detected.
Submitted by Vanessa Cerda
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