Detection Technology: Amplifying Fluorescent Polymers (AFP)
Detection Principle: Fluorescence Quenching
Amplifying Fluorescent Polymers (AFP) are conjugate polymers that exhibit solid state fluorescence when excited by light of particular wavelength. These AFP materials exhibit a quenching of fluorescence in the presence of explosive molecules. Conventional fluorescence sensors quench one polymer unit when interacted with one explosive molecule.
But, in the case of AFPs the interaction of one explosives molecule with the polymer quenches the fluorescence of many polymer repeat units thereby amplifying the response to explosives and exhibiting high sensitivity in ppb-ppm. This amplifying quenching response of AFP to explosives molecules specifically is the key factor contributing to its exceptional sensitivity.
Beaglez uses this technology of amplifying fluorescent polymers (AFP) in effectively detecting explosives such as TNT, RDX, HMX, PETN, PEK, Sheet explosives etc in trace quantities in both vapor and particle mode.