SENSORS: A New Approach to Recognition Element Synthesis and Integration

Cornell University, Ithaca NY

Investigators

Abstract

Chemical warfare agents are insidious elements of modern weaponry. These highly toxic agents can be delivered by complex methods such as guided missiles or by simple devices such as the bags of sarin solution left on a Tokyo subway in 1995. Nerve gases such as sarin are easily prepared, making them readily accessible weapons of mass destruction. Their acute toxicity requires that precautions and antidotes be taken before exposure occurs. Sensors with high sensitivity and rapid response can ensure the safety of civilians and military personnel. The research results of this NSF SENSORS proposal will provide not only unique sensors for nerve agent detection, but also advances in basic recognition science. (I) The intellectual merit of the proposed activity: The research consists of the development of peptide/dye conjugates designed to rapidly react with and respond to G and VX type chemical warfare agents. Despite many years of active research, no general platform has emerged that allows development and optimization of specific sensors. A method to detect G and VX agents using a general strategy for sensor design will be developed. This approach could provide sensors for biomedical, food science, and environmental applications as well. Amplification is necessary to detect non-lethal doses of chemical warfare agents. The peptide/dye conjugates will be incorporated into a new light harvesting-based amplification scheme that is a development at the interface of photophysics and synthetic chemistry. This research will provide a better understanding of how to control energy migration within solids, which will also have implications for photovoltaic cell and organic light emitting diode design. (II) The broader impacts resulting from the proposed activity: Despite great advances in science and engineering, our ability to monitor and quantify air, water and food quality is rudimentary. In the future, inexpensive sensors will continuously monitor the environment for pollutants, chemical and biological warfare agents, and other toxins. This proposal outlines steps towards measuring chemical warfare agents using robust and inexpensive means. The proposed sensors should be easily and inexpensively incorporated into portable sensors for use in shopping malls, airports, office buildings and soldier uniforms to monitor for low concentrations of nerve agents. This project is interdisciplinary and will train a student at the interface of photophysics, materials science, and chemistry. The student will learn how to synthesize organic dyes and polymers, how to create and characterize thin films, and how to measure and quantify the photophysical properties. Students with this training should be sought after by companies interested in telecommunications, organic LEDs, photonics, and sensors. The PI also plans to create workshops and programs to educate children and elementary and high school teachers. An important element of this project is how light interacts with matter. Optical computing, optical communications, photovoltaics, and other light harvesting devices are becoming important areas of commerce. As such, elementary and high school students should be exposed to basic concepts of absorption, luminescence, and energy migration. As a step toward this goal, the PI will create "light interacting with matter" workshops, hands-on demonstrations and training opportunities for both students and teachers.