Pyrolyzable Nanoparticle Tracers for Environmental Interrogation and Monitoring

• DOI: 10.1021/acsami.6b16050
• Publication Date: 2017-03-14T21:39:19Z
• Authors: Jason R. Cox; Mohammed Alsenani; Scott E. Miller; James A. Roush; Rena Shi; Hooisweng Ow; Sehoon Chang; Anthony A. Kmetz; Shannon L. Eichmann; Martin E. Poitzsch
• Keywords: 01 natural sciences; 0104 chemical sciences

Environmental tracing applications require materials that can be detected in complex fluids composed of multiple phases and contaminants. Moreover, large libraries tracers are necessary order to mitigate memory effects deploy simultaneously oil fields. Herein, we disclose a novel approach based on the thermal decomposition polymeric nanoparticles comprised styrenic methacrylic monomers. Polymeric derived from these monomers cleanly decompose into their constituent at elevated temperatures, thereby maximizing atom economy wherein entire nanoparticle mass contributes generation detectable units. A total ten unique single monomer particles three dual-monomer were synthesized using semicontinuous starved addition polymerization. The pyrolysis gas chromatography-flame ionization detection/mass spectrometry (GC-FID/MS) behavior was studied high-pressure spectrometry. programmable nature our methodology permits simultaneous removal contaminants subsequent identification quantification analytical step.