Liquid Fingerprinting Technology will Aid First Responders

Liquid Fingerprinting Technology will Aid First Responders

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A new technology, Watermark Ink (W-INK), can distinguish liquids by their surface tension. The technology that can perform instant, in-field characterization of the chemical make-up and material properties of unknown liquids could aid first responders and improve plant safety.

Validere, a new company cofounded by Harvard scientists and engineers, will commercialize the new technology. Validere aims to develop the W-INK into a pocket-sized device that could be used by first responders to quickly identify chemical spills, or by officials to verify the fuel grade of gasoline right at the pump.

Developed in the Harvard laboratory of Prof. Joanna Aizenberg, the W-INK concept exploits the chemical and optical properties of precisely nanostructured materials to distinguish liquids by their surface tension.

Akin to the litmus paper used in chemistry labs to detect the pH of a liquid, the detector changes color when it comes in contact with a liquid with a particular surface tension. The color-changing strip can be programmed to respond precisely to the unique surface tension exhibited by any liquid of interest.

The W-INK technology, which received early support from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and a proof-of-concept contract from the U.S. Department of Transportation, could have important applications in industry and government.

“Validere translates this technology to create inexpensive, one-time-use test kits that can be used anywhere in the field to visually identify unknown liquids, all without the need for a dedicated power source,” said Ian Burgess, co-founder, CEO and CTO at Validere. “Our solution simplifies the readouts to a level that you don’t need a technician to interpret the results. Anyone in the field can immediately know, on the spot, how to respond to a sampled liquid.”

The ability to rapidly profile the volatility of crude oil, which is commonly transported by railroad, means decisions about proper transport containers can be made at the point of extraction in the field, helping to prevent accidental explosions. US Dept. of Transportation is also supporting development of test kits for analyzing hazardous spills.

W-INK was selected to receive the 2013 R&D 100 Award.