FUEL IDENTIFICATION WITH SURFACE ENHANCED RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY TAGS

摘要

A method of identifying a quantity of fuel which includes the association of a substance having a known Raman spectrum with a quantity of fuel. In one embodiment, a nanoparticle including a SERS active core may be mixed into a fuel supply. In an alternative embodiment, a SERS active dye including a Raman active reporter molecule may be mixed with a quantity of fuel. If the quantity of fuel is tagged with a dye having Raman active reporter molecules, the process of identifying the quantity of fuel may include mixing into a sample of the fuel a colloid of Raman enhancing metal particles. Suitable metals include, but are not limited to, silver or gold. Alternatively, a portion of the sample may be associated with a SERS active substrate.