Smart Analytical Materials for Supertoxic Agents (SAMSA)

In this project we aim to develop new classes of point-of-use analytical devices that will selectively visually disclose the presence of supertoxic chemical agents via colorimetric responses. To achieve this we propose to a) prepare a range of colorimetric reporter systems by a supramolecular chemistry approach and to, b) immobilise them on polymeric supports to determine their combined efficacy in supertoxic chemical detection. The challenges here are to engineer reporter systems with 1) acceptable response times of typically less than 60 seconds, 2) a high degree of specificity, and 3) that operate in a mutually compatible manner without promoting false positives due to unfavourable cross sensor system interactions. Our ultimate objective is to prepare a sensitive and selective colorimetric multi-agent detection system for the simultaneous detection of a range of supertoxic agents. Our research philosophy is to combine bespoke sensor molecules, prepared via synthetic chemistry routes, with a range of supramolecular assemblies to generate multi-response systems capable of detecting several analytes. This efficient chemical synthetic/supramolecular approach to sensor material development will yield results more rapidly than more traditional lengthy linear syntheses. We shall test the project outcomes on a range of proven simulant systems and in collaboration with external partners on a range of toxic 'live' agents.