NanoEngineering Corporation · 2019-11-22 · Sniffer Dogs Unidirectional jet aspirates...

NanoEngineering Corporation ...maneuvering matter on a molecular scale...

An IMS with a resolution of 1,000

and parts per trillion sensitivity for ambient vapors

Jerome J. Schmitt, NanoEngineering Corp.

Juan Fernandez de la Mora, Yale University

Gonzalo Fernandez de la Mora, SEADM S.L.

Workshop Presentation

New Methods for Explosive Detection for Aviation Security

Northeastern University, Boston MA - October 22, 2013

DHS Center of Excellence for Awareness and Localization of Explosives-Related Threats (ALERT)


Slide 2

Conclusion

Tandem DMA - CCD

The DMA2 –CCD System Concept offers potential capabilities

necessary to address 21st Century Aviation Security Challenges

1. General Purpose – ion mobility measurement

2. High Resolution (≥ 1000) – 500 analytes

3. High Sensitivity (≤ parts-per-trillion) – plastic explosives

4. High Sample Flow Rate (>10 L/min) – direct vapor sampling

5. Low Cost – No High Vacuum

6. Related applications in Chem-Bio Threat Detection

Mass Spec Performance – IMS Cost – Sniffer Dog Aspiration


Slide 3

Outline

An IMS with a resolution of 1,000

and parts per trillion sensitivity for ambient vapor

1. Detection of Airborne Trace Volatiles

2. DMA-DMA-CCD Technology for Ambient Vapor Detection

3. Development Plans / Related Applications

4. Commercialization, Collaboration and Sponsorship

5. Conclusions and Acknowledgements


Slide 4 Slide 4

Airborne Vapor Sensors

Definition: Point Sensors detect with rapid response the presence of

threat in immediate vicinity usually by sampling and detecting

volatile vapors of explosives and chemical weapons

Key Examples:

1. Canine Olfaction (Sniffer Dogs)

2. Mass Spectrometers

3. Ion Mobility Spectrometers


Slide 5

Performance Criteria –Threat Sensors 1. General Purpose – Detects all threat analytes

• 500-analyte capability desired by DHS

2. Power of Discrimination – Resolution • Distinguish threat “A” from interferant “B”

• Affects occurrence of false positives

3. Limits of Detection – Sensitivity • Threshold analyte concentration needed to trip sensor

• Affects occurrence of false negatives

4. Response Time – Sound alarm • ~ 2 Seconds in aviation security

• Affects passenger throughput

5. Low Costs – Capital and Operating

Airborne Vapor Sensors


Slide 6

Sniffer Dogs

Unidirectional jet aspirates “smells” into nose

Flow rate: Q ~ 10 – 100 L/min

“About 2,000 of these working [sniffer] dogs confront danger alongside U.S.

soldiers, largely in the Middle East. Able to detect scents up to a third of a

mile away, many sniff for explosives in Iraq.” [emphasis added]

Washington Post, August 12, 2007

From: “Airborne Trace Sampling:

Lessons from the Dog’s Nose”

Prof Gary Settles

Penn State University

TED Workshop 2010


Slide 7

Mass Spectrometers

Pro: “Gold Standard” for general analytical chemistry • High mass resolution (2000 – 10,000)

• High sensitivity (~ parts-per-quadrillion)

10-9 Atm.

Con: High vacuum inherently limits practicality in airports • High-vac. pumps are complex, costly, fragile, maintenance-intensive

• Low sample flow rates (< 1 L/ min) - higher air flow must be balanced with much bigger pumps

Atmospheric-pressure

sample air inlet To vac. pump

High mean free path


Slide 8

Ion Mobility Spectrometer

Pro: “Practical” - in use in airports • General Purpose

• Lower costs – capital and operating

- no high vacuum

• Rapid Response (seconds)

• Good sensitivity (parts-per-billion)

Con: Inadequate for Emerging Threats • Low Mobility Resolution – Cannot distinguish 500-analytes

• Low Flow Rate (≤ 0.1 L/min)

• Sensitivity - Inadequate for Direct Airborne Vapor Sampling

- swabbing required

Data Points RDX – room temp vapor pressure: < 10 parts-per trillion

Sarin – deadly at parts-per-billion concentration

HMEs –precursors ; interferants


Slide 9

Differential Mobility Analyzer

Tandem DMA2-CCD Sensor – System Concept

Pro: Potential to Address All 21st Century Threats • General Purpose – measures mobility

• Promises lower costs – no high vacuum

• High Mobility Resolution (≥ 1000) – 500 analytes

• Rapid Response (seconds)

• Ultra-sensitive ( ≤ parts-per-trillion)

• High sample flow rates (>10 L/min)

• Direct airborne vapor sampling (?) – no swabbing

Con: Embryonic - Developmental • Needs development, testing and field trials

• Based on existing science demonstrated at Yale, SEADM

• Relies on proven components from SEADM, NEC and suppliers

Mass Spec performance - IMS cost – Sniffer -Dog aspiration


Slide 10

Conventional IMS

Drift-tube IMS : Time-of-Flight Measurement

Ionizer

E-field

Tube Air at atmospheric pressure

Ion electrode

Electrometer

Ion

Curr

en

t (p

A)

Time (ms)

Output Spectrum

Drift time: ~20 ms

Duty cycle: ~1% - major limitation!

Detection Limits: parts-per-billion!

Output Spectra: Ion current (I) vs. elapsed time-of-flight (t)


Slide 11

Differential Mobility Analyzer

Ion C

urr

ent (f

A)

Sweep Voltage (kV)

Proportional to particle / ion size

Output Spectrum

High Voltage

Ion C

urr

ent (f

A)

Sweep Voltage (kV)


Medium Voltage

Ion C

urr

ent (f

A)

Sweep Voltage (kV)


Output Spectrum Output Spectrum

Conventional DMA

Ionizer Ionizer Ionizer Low Voltage

E

U

Electrometer

~ 1 Atm.

Laminar Flow.


Slide 12

Sample Air Flow in

DMA Blower

Dehumidifier

Filter / Molecular sieve

Heat Exchanger

Recirculation

Tubes

Vent Air Flow

Balance of System

Sheath Air

Conventional DMA

Photo: System Prototype

(Scissors for scale)


-100

-50

0

50

100

150

350 455 560 665 770 875 980 1085

DMA Voltage +9.5 Volts (Volts)

Ion

Cu

rren

t (3

.33 f

A)

Subtracted PETN(1V0426) Background(1V0427)

PETN Vapor Pressure* = 18 ppt @ 25 C

Plastic Explosive

Detection of PETN at Room Temperature

*B.C. Dionne, D.P. Rounbehler, E.K. Achter, J.R. Hobbs and D.H. Fine,

Vapor Pressure of Explosives J. of Energetic Materials 4 447-472 (1986)


Slide 14

E

Constant

Voltage

Ion CCD

Ion

Cu

rre

nt (f

A)

IonCCD Pixel

Output Spectrum

DMA + CCD

U

Ionizer

100% Duty Cycle


Slide 15

Planar DMA

CAD drawing shows internal flow-channels

Photo: High Resolution DMA – Yale Univ.

12-inch ruler for scale


Slide 16

Ion CCD Detector

• < 1000 charges per

pixel to detect with

S/N of 3

(1 sec. integration)

• Dynamic range: 107


Slide 17

Second Stage Ion

Sampling Slit

First Stage Ion Sampling Slit

Ion CCD

Tandem DMA – DMA : Cascade

DMA2 + CCD

Ionizer

Linear Mobility

Non- Linear Mobility

Anticipated Performance

• resolution ≥ 1000

• sensitivity ≤ parts per trillion


Slide 18

Ionizer

Glass Capillary Tip

In-situ micrograph

OD=360 µm: ID=40µm Dense Droplet Mist

From Taylor Cone

Back-lit Photograph

High Voltage

Taylor Cone

Secondary Electro-Spray Ionization (SESI)


Slide 19

R & D

Development Plans

DMA is a Platform Technology

1. Explosives

2. Chemical Agents

3. Biological Threats (No reagents)


Slide 20

Rapid Virus Screening

Table 1: Human Viruses

Virus Name Size

(nm)

polio 23

rhinovirus 30

norovirus 35

hepatitis 38

encephalitis 42

dengue 45

west Nile 53

papilloma 55

rotavirus 75

hantavirus 80

rubella 85

Epstein-Barr 101

adenovirus 100

influenza 120

SARS coronvirus 130

respiratory syncytial 151

HIV 182

herpes 200

smallpox 220

And more…

* Frost & Sullivan report predicts high growth in $billion / yr

markets for “molecular diagnostics” targeting these viruses.

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

10

.6

11

.3

12

.2

13

.1

14

.1

15

.1

16

.3

17

.5

18

.8

20

.2

21

.7

23

.3

25

.0

26

.9

28

.9

31

.1

33

.4

35

.9

38

.5

41

.4

44

.5

47

.8

51

.4

55

.2

59

.4

63

.8

68

.5

73

.7

79

.1

85

.1

91

.4

GE

MM

A C

ou

nts

Diameter (nm)

MS2 on GEMMA

ES-DMA for virus detection

Cooperative R&D with US Army Edgewood Chem-Bio Ctr.


Slide 21

Commercialization

NEC is an SBIR Company

NEC has secured key patents and patent rights w/ SEADM

NEC, Yale and SEADM have developed 30-page proprietary

white-paper detailing our technology development plans

Barrier to commercialization: Lack of R&D and Exploratory

Engineering Support.

We welcome:

• Sponsorship

• Collaboration

• Development partners

• Commercialization partners

• Potential customers

• Investors


Slide 22

Conclusion

Tandem DMA - CCD

The DMA2 –CCD System Concept offers potential capabilities

necessary to address 21st Century Aviation Security Challenges

1. General Purpose – ion mobility measurement

2. High Resolution (≥ 1000) – 500 analytes

3. High Sensitivity (≤ parts-per-trillion) – plastic explosives

4. High Sample Flow Rate (>10 L/min) – direct vapor sampling

5. Low Cost – No High Vacuum

6. Related applications in Chem-Bio Threat Detection

Mass Spec Performance – IMS Cost – Sniffer Dog Aspiration


Slide 23

Conclusion

Tandem DMA – CCD Concept

• Based on solid science

• Relies on proven components

• Candidate for rapid development

• Suited for widespread deployment


Slide 24

Acknowledgements

This work was sponsored in part by a US Army SBIR Grant

(Aaron LaPointe, NVL Ft. Belvoir VA)

Omar Hadjar, Ph.D. and Gottfried l, Ph.D. of ITT O-I Analytical provided

useful discussions and data on the IonCCD performance

NanoEngineering Corporation · 2019-11-22 · Sniffer Dogs Unidirectional jet aspirates...

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