Phosphor identification method, particularly adapted for use with explosives, for providing a distinctive information label
US4013490A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 12, 1974 |
| Grant date | Mar 22, 1977 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 12, 1994 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S149/123
- WIPO fieldBasic materials chemistry
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
Phosphor-explosive material combination and method wherein a small amount of inorganic phosphor is mixed with explosive material to provide an indicia or label of information regarding the explosive, either before or after detonation of same. The phosphor can readily be located with an ultraviolet lamp even after the explosive has been detonated, and by correlating the phosphor emission spectra with data known about the explosive when it is manufactured, the explosive can be identified. Line-emitting phosphors are especially useful because of their distinctive emission characteristics, which provide a vast number of possible combinations of emissions which are correlated against the data known about the explosive when it is manufactured. Preferably the phosphor is formed as a combination of finely divided "spotter" phosphor and finely divided "coding" material held together by a binder in the form of small conglomerates, in order to facilitate initial location and later identification of same. There exists a vast number of different combinations of distinctive fluorescent emissions, and these can be combined to label any item for later identification.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.