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Nanoparticles Used To Create Thermal 'Barcodes'

Posted by timothy on from the 'coz-what-he-thought-was-H20-was-NHN02 dept.

Rambo Tribble (1273454) writes 'Researchers from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute, in Massachusetts, have developed nanoparticles with distinct melting points, which they suggest be used as forensic "barcodes" to identify the origins and integrity of things such as explosives and currency [PDF]. To demonstrate the technique, the researchers used the explosive, TNT, as a test case. Commenting on the viability of the approach, researcher Dr Ming Su said, 'The nanoparticle does not participate in any chemical reaction, and it will not effect the function of the existing object. The only thing it will do is to provide a thermal signature.' He added, 'Nanoparticles are so small, they can be put into any objects.' The BBC has more approachable coverage.'

26 comments

  1. from the polywater guys by jcomeau_ictx · · Score: 1

    thanks for helping enable the surveillance state to ratchet things up a notch, WPI. why can't you go back to making polywater, like back in the 70s?

    1. Re:from the polywater guys by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Follow the money.

    2. Re:from the polywater guys by baldass_newbie · · Score: 1

      ~scans nanoparticle~
      "We've got him."

      --
      The opposite of progress is congress
    3. Re:from the polywater guys by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I expect the crooks will just add their own nanoparticles to the mix to obscure any fingerprinting. Make it look like your explosives came from another country or group, sit back with the popcorn when Seal Team 6 knocks on the (wrong) fingerprinted door.

    4. Re:from the polywater guys by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm a WPI grad, and I have been on slashdot for a since the 90s. I was thrilled to see WPI on slashdot for the first time that I can recall! I wasn't aware of polywater, but looking it up I can not find any connections to WPI (soviet union created, researched at Bell Labs -- a nobel prize generator). WPI may be a small school, but it has helped create stainless steel, liquid fuel rockets (Goddard was a WPI grad), etc (see http://www.wpi.edu/about/history/profiles.html). When I was at WPI it was in the top 40 of US schools, and quickly plummeted under the rule of Dennis Berkey. I'm hoping the new president can restore it somewhat to justify the exorbitant amount of money I spent on my education, but your comment is completely unfounded.

    5. Re:from the polywater guys by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      *Not original poster* I was thinking some of the same things. Although it is good for the institution, I wonder what applications this technology will be (ab)used for?

  2. What's this then? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Except for a lot of voicing of otherwise unsubstantiated possibilities and some pretty pictures without much explanation as to what they mean or why they should be coloured exactly that way, I don't really see much substance to these claims. What is it that's happening and how is it different from chemical tagging methods that are already {known to be feasible,in use}?

  3. Re:Gunpower by nurb432 · · Score: 1

    So you make your own.

    --
    ---- Booth was a patriot ----
  4. Re:Gunpower by CanHasDIY · · Score: 1

    Carbon + Sulphur + Salt Peter, right?

    Hey, if the Chinese could figure it out 2000 years ago...

    --
    An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
  5. Re:Gunpower by gstoddart · · Score: 1

    The Chinese invented many many things.

    --
    Lost at C:>. Found at C.
  6. Re:Gunpower by CanHasDIY · · Score: 1

    Didn't mean to disparage the Chinese, was pointing out that it's not like gunpowder is some newfangled technology that's easy to regulate and control.

    Side note - the mechanical clock in the second link is pretty cool, I'd love to see someone recreate it.

    --
    An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
  7. OT (sorry). Re Adverts on slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm logged in as me but posting as a nonymouse here - but I'm seeing adverts all over slashdot today despite having my "Ads Disabled" box checked.

    Is there something wrong with /. today?

    1. Re:OT (sorry). Re Adverts on slashdot by unixisc · · Score: 1

      Yeah, I'm seeing the same thing - and am not posting as AC. But regardless of whether I check the No ads box or not, I keep seeing the Ads. What's more - I don't have Flash installed on my laptop under either IE or FF (and do not have Chrome) and yet, I'm seeing not just ads, but animated ads.

      Has /. decided to disable the ad disabling mechanism for those who don't switch to beta?

    2. Re:OT (sorry). Re Adverts on slashdot by Bill+Dimm · · Score: 1

      I'm seeing the same thing.

  8. Asbestos dust anyone? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This could turn out bad.

    1. Re:Asbestos dust anyone? by cheater512 · · Score: 1

      Personally I'd be more concerned about the explosion that released the nanoparticles, rather than the nanoparticles themselves.

    2. Re:Asbestos dust anyone? by Nephandus · · Score: 1

      And worthless if that stuff for IDing sources of explosive components is anything to go on (which I'm not even sure if this isn't the same stuff just with an attempt at a wider sell...). It becomes useless when it eventually gets everywhere, aside from potential cellular toxicity.

      --
      "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."
  9. Melting point by Fear+the+Clam · · Score: 1

    The idea is interesting, but once the particle has been melted, I assume that it can't be verified again. If that's the case then no matter how many of these tagging particles are added to a given object, it can only be verified a finite number of times.

    1. Re:Melting point by cheater512 · · Score: 1

      The way I read it was that the explosion melted the particles, not the verification step. So once melted you can verify it as many times as you want.
      Plus they are small so you can cram a lot in to the explosive.

    2. Re:Melting point by Fear+the+Clam · · Score: 1

      Good point. That makes sense for explosives, but I was thinking about currency. It's not like you want to destroy money or bearer bonds to determine whether they're genuine.

  10. Re:affect by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yeah, I don't think pointing out like that will have the effect you're looking for.

    P.S. Stop hiding, it's 2014, it's okay.

  11. Re:affect by backslashdot · · Score: 1

    Slashfag is not a word you moron. Learn to spell.

  12. First thought that comes to mind... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Could you put it in gold as a marker? Isn't gold great for melting down with no trace?

  13. Re:affect by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Effect" is also a verb, meaning to cause something to happen. The way it's used ("will not effect the function of the existing object") could mean it will not cause the function of the object to happen, and since they're talking about explosives, could mean that the act of adding the nanoparticles won't cause the TNT to explode.

    Oblig xkcd