FS Lab

Molecular Imprinted Polymers ERDC FSL is working with VCU Chemical Engineering and Sentor Technologies© to develop MIPs for a variety of detection applications. Molecular Imprinted Polymers are chains of monomers imprinted with the shape and charge of a target ligand. Much like a dental impression, MIPs work like enzymes and hormones as a lock and key. This gives the MIP specificity and greater confidence in target detection. FSL is using synthesized MIPs that posses high quantum efficiency fluorescence emissions for detection by remote sensing.

Reflectance- Derived Fluorescence for Vegetative Stress We are conducting research to relate changes in the reflected Near IR photo-pigment region to known fluorescence for chlorophyll as an indicator of stress. These measurements are being performed at the leaf level with goals to scqle to a canopy level model. This research is different from traditional dark-adapted work in this area due to the light-adapted nature of the studies.

Radiological Amplification While distributed radiological material can be ubiquitous, its intrinsic fluorescence intensity is typically not high enough for detection by laser induced fluorescence imaging except when in bulk. These materials lend themselves to amplification by fluorophores that exhibit binding competition, thus increasing their quantum yield without appreciably affecting their spectral structure. We are presently experimenting with a variety of materials that compliments these materials and provides such amplified fluorescence.