Patent · US Expired

Phosphor combination, particularly adapted for use with explosives, for providing a distinctive information label

US4018635A · kind A · utility

22Cited by
7References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 27, 1973
Grant dateApr 19, 1977
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 27, 1993

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S252/965
  • 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 emision 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.