Solar tech adapted for chemical warfare and pesticide detection

Australian scientists are designing systems for rapid, light-based detection of deadly toxins using state-of-the-art solar cell components as a colorful solution to dangerous problems.

The use of chemical weapons such as sulfur mustard, commonly known as mustard gas, is internationally banned, but we like methyl iodide used for control throughout agriculture, industry, and everyday life Insects and fungi rely on other tightly controlled chemicals, including fumigants. Incorrect amounts or incorrect use of these fumigants are harmful to people and can degrade the ozone layer.

It is difficult to determine if a dangerous amount of methyl iodide is present because it is invisible and does not smell. Until now, the best way to test it has been in the laboratory, which uses expensive and complex equipment. This is not practical for many. The actual setting. Several cheap and lightweight detection methods have been tried, but they were not sensitive enough and took too long to produce results.

Research, led by the ARC Center of Excellence in Exciton Science, has now found a way to detect methyl iodomethane through color changes with the precision, flexibility, and speed required for practical use. Importantly, this new detection mechanism is versatile enough to be used to detect a wide range of fumigants and chemical weapons.

In collaboration with Australia’s national scientific institution CSIRO and the Department of Defense, researchers have borrowed some new technology (synthetic nanocrystals based on perovskite structure) used to improve solar power. I changed to the detection method.

Their approach relies on the fact that these highly fluorescent nanocrystals react with fumigants to change the color of the light they emit. The presence of methyl iodide shifts the emission of nanocrystals from green to yellow, then orange, red, and finally crimson, depending on the amount of fumigant present.

“Perovskite nanocrystals have proven to be highly efficient illuminants,” said Dr. Wenpinin, Principal Author of Monash University.

“Here we have shown that methyl iodide reacts with such perovskite and can react very quickly after a simple chemical activation step. Importantly, this activation step allows the sensor to respond. Time is reduced from hours to seconds. “

In this process, the ions that form nanocrystals change rapidly when exposed to methyl iodide, which is caused by a chemical reaction.

This reaction involves exchanging bromide for iodide within the nanocrystal itself, resulting in a color change.

Finally, the researchers were able to demonstrate that the color change depends on the concentration of perovskite nanocrystals and methyl iodide.

“The chemical mechanism is very complex, but the result is just a change in the color of the light produced by the nanocrystals, which is very easy to detect,” says Wenpin.

The new mechanism features the widest range, highest sensitivity, and fastest response ever achieved with expensive laboratory equipment-independent technology, producing results in about 5 seconds at room temperature.

Researchers hope that their findings will provide a platform for building test devices that can be used in real-world applications.

Senior author Professor Jacek Jasieniak said: “I understand the basic mechanism needed to do this colorimetric detection. Now it’s time to build a prototype detection device.

“Further development is needed, but we are ready to realize the true potential of widespread detection of pesticides and chemical weapons such as various types of methyl halides, tear gas, mustard gas.”

Dr. Genevieve Dennison, a defense scientist and researcher at an industry partner, said:

The study is published in the journal ACS Nano and is available here.

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