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Virginia Tech

An explosive vapor generator based on capillary gas chromatography

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

An explosive vapor generator which produces transient "clouds" of explosive vapors for use in the evaluation of commercial explosive vapor detection systems has been developed based on a capillary gas chromatograph. The design of the vapor generator replaces a flame ionization detector on the gas chromatograph with an effluent heater system to provide a cloud of explosive vapor while preventing condensation onto the walls of the capillary column. This vapor source has been successfully used to produce vapors of dinitrotoluene (DNT), trinitrotoluene (TNT), and 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5- triazacyclohexane (RDX). The chemical composition of the output was confirmed by both ion mobility spectrometry, and quadrupole mass spectrometry. Adsorptive effects of TNT and RDX were studied in order to optimize the injection parameters, achieving detection limits three orders of magnitude lower than previously reported. The quantitative output of the system was verified using thermal tube desorption gas chromatography.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Ph. D.
Level thesis:degree_level
doctoral
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Chemistry
Department dc:contributor.department
Chemistry
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
1990

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Reiner, George Allen
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • McNair, Harold M.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Taylor, Larry T.
  • Mason, John G.
  • Gibson, Harry W.
  • Bell, Harold M.

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-10122005-134419
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/39761

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
related terms
citation

Reiner, George Allen. An explosive vapor generator based on capillary gas chromatography. doctoral thesis, Virginia Tech, 1990. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/39761