Laser-Induced-Breakdown Spectroscopy of Potassium-Based Energetic Materials Deposited on Substrates in the UV-VIS and MIR Regions

Graduate #85
Discipline: Physics
Subcategory: Physics (not Nanoscience)

Keith A. Tukes Jr. - Hampton University
Co-Author(s): Uwe Hömmerich and Eiei Brown, Hampton University, Hampton, VA Sudhir B. Trivedi, Brimrose Corporation of America, Sparks Glencoe, MD

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Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) is a valuable tool for the chemical analysis of materials. LIBS has become useful because of its ability to rapidly obtain information from a sample in solid, liquid or gaseous form. LIBS has been applied to such things as planetary exploration, stand-off detection of dangerous chemicals, and deep-sea geochemical identification. In this study we used LIBS to identify atomic and molecular emissions of potassium-based energetic materials in the ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) and mid-infrared (MIR) regions. LIBS was used to identify atomic and molecular emissions in potassium-based energetic materials in the UV-VIS and MIR regions. The samples were prepared using an air-spray technique to deposit the films onto substrates. During analysis the substrate emissions were identified and factored out leaving only the relevant atomic and molecular emissions to be used for material identification. We were able to identify both atomic and molecular emissions from our thin-film sample materials on the substrates. More comprehensive LIBS studies on energetic-materials using eye-safe lasers will also be presented during the conference.

Not Submitted

Funder Acknowledgement(s): Army Research Office (Grant:W911NF-12-1-0049); National Science Foundation (Grand: HRD-1137747)

Faculty Advisor: Uwe Hömmerich, uwe.hommerich@hamptonu.edu