Device and method for detecting reactive luminescent particles in carbon-based nanomaterials

A device for detecting reactive luminescent nano- or micro-particles embedded in a composite comprising a polymeric matrix with carbon-black or sulphur-black particles, or embedded in a sulphur-dyed substrate or surface, comprising:

• an infrared (IR) or ultraviolet (UV) illuminator for illuminating the luminescent particles;
• a near-infrared photodiode sensor for capturing a near-infrared response of the illuminated luminescent particles;
• a dark chamber for placing over the substrate or surface, inside which the illuminator and photodiode sensor are mounted;
• a logarithm amplifier for amplifying and linearizing a response signal captured by the photodiode sensor;
• an electronic data processor configured for detecting the reactive luminescent particles, by carrying out the steps of:
• illuminating the composite comprising the polymeric matrix with carbon-black or sulphur-black particles, or the sulphur-dyed substrate or surface, with the illuminator;
• acquiring, from the logarithm amplifier, the amplified linearized signal captured by the photodiode sensor;
• and
• detecting the presence of the luminescent particles in the composite comprising the polymeric matrix with carbon-black or sulphur-black particles, or in the sulphur-dyed substrate or surface, from the linearized decay of the acquired signal.