To, Ka Chuen;
(2023)
Analysis of Energetic Materials Using Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Approaches.
Doctoral thesis (Eng.D), UCL (University College London).
Preview |
Text
EngD Thesis Analysis of energetic materials using enhanced Raman spectroscopy approaches.pdf - Other Download (24MB) | Preview |
Abstract
Explosives remain a threat to homeland security, and recent events emphasize the importance of explosive trace detection (ETD) technologies and the need to identify novel approaches. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a promising technique with many favourable qualities such as: high sensitivity, selectivity, portability and fast analysis times. This thesis focusses on SERS and PIERS, and is divided into three workstreams, described below. The first experimental chapter explores the relatively new technique, photo-induced enhanced Raman spectroscopy (PIERS), which has received much attention for providing enhancement levels greater than conventional SERS. The chapter details a study into the PIERS effect using a commercially available material. This chapter also identifies two well-known limitations associated with metal oxide semiconductors used for PIERS and the successful solutions described in this chapter have been tentatively proposed as two new variants of PIERS. Furthermore, the potential applications of these modifications have explored for homeland security and environmental monitoring. Chapter 4 describes the synthesis and characterisation of ZnO nanorods as novel substrates for PIERS. Doped ZnO samples were prepared through chemical bath deposition to produce uniform nanorod structures with high crystallinity. The samples were characterised on a structural and elemental level. Comparison of the PIERS properties showed the doped ZnO samples provided a higher level of enhancement compared with undoped ZnO. Chapter 5 describes a dual method for detecting explosives using colorimetry and SERS. The assay exploits the formation of a complex between the nitro moiety of nitroaromatic explosives with a ligand, producing a coloured complex. To demonstrate the potential for the assay in real-world applications, a machine-learning algorithm was used to confirm the collected SERS data to be suitable to achieve a high level of detection. Furthermore, a simple image-analysis software was used to show the colorimetric analysis can be easily achieved using a smart-phone camera without modifications.
| Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Qualification: | Eng.D |
| Title: | Analysis of Energetic Materials Using Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Approaches |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Copyright © The Author 2023. Original content in this thesis is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). Any third-party copyright material present remains the property of its respective owner(s) and is licensed under its existing terms. Access may initially be restricted at the author’s request. |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences > Dept of Chemistry |
| URI: | https://discovery-pp.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10173894 |
Archive Staff Only
 |
View Item |
