Future of Engineering

War and bloodshed has been here since the days of Cain and Abel. Till the 19th century warriors met on the field to prove their might. But the creation of bombs has redefined war. No place on earth is safe anymore. Explosives can be here, there or anywhere. And if you can't spot it, you can't control it.

To tackle terrorism, scientists have created a sensor chip that detects hydrogen peroxide vapor, which is often used in homemade explosives. It does this by monitoring the electrical conductivity of a thin metal film. The chip is made of two different thin films - one made of a cobalt compound and another made of a copper compound. When the chip was exposed to various fumes had responded in a similar manner. But when it was exposed to hydrogen peroxide vapor the films showed a difference in electrical conductivity.

When the sensor reveals this difference, you can easily spot the masked bomb. This is sure to fulfill the requirements of the bomb squad. Usually they have resorted to X-ray examination of luggages which wouldn't detect plastic or non-metallic devices. Sniffer dogs have helped out in various places, but come with a high price tag.

Source - DBIS

Labels: Metallurgical-Engineering, Safety