The performance of a fast testing system for illicit materials detection based on energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction technique

A prototype setup for detecting illicit materials by energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction (EDXRD) has been developed. The obtained results of NaCl by the equipment suggest that the total measurement system is reliable and can be used to detect different kinds of materials. The tests of TNT, methamphetamine and heroin are also performed on this equipment and the related EDXRD spectra are obviously influenced by the detecting angle and the X-ray sources. The detecting angle of 10° is more suitable for detecting TNT and methamphetamine, while 12° is better for heroin. Moreover, the curves of TNT, methamphetamine and heroin emitted by W target have more diffraction peaks than those emitted by Cu or Mo target, while the peak intensities of TNT and methamphetamine emitted by Mo are stronger than those emitted by Cu or W target. The curve of methamphetamine emitted by Mo target shows a special characteristic and exhibits a super strong diffraction peak located at 1.62 Å− 1, which can be attributed to the effect arising from Mo kα and kβ.