Seong Seo, an associate professor of chemistry at Albany State University, has been awarded a $573,000 grant by the Department of Defense (DOD) to conduct research that will help develop portable sensors to detect nerve agents and organophosphorous (OP) compounds.
The grant program is designed to enhance educational programs and research capabilities at at the recipient institutions in scientific disciplines critical to national security and the Defense Department. “This is very good for my research,” said Seo, who was ASU’s Researcher of the Year in 2010. “This is the second grant we’ve gotten. Two years ago, I received a $350,000 grant and I used that money to set up my labs. I will use this grant money to actually start developing the sensors.”
Seo is nearing the end of the second year of a three-year study of of thermoresponsive polymerized colloidal crystals using hard-core, soft-shell nanoparticals as sensors for nerve agents and OP compounds.
“Currently, there exists an urgent need for efficient, rapid detection of OP compounds and chemical warfare agents,” Seo said.
Seo’s future research will focus on two areas.
“First, we want to looking at coming up with some type of viual detection device for chemical agents using nanoparticals,” Seo said. “Second, we’d like to come up with a portable device that will detect explosive material such as TNT.”
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