Paper notes used a monetary currency are deuterated. The level of deuteration while not complete, is high. For U.S. currency the level of deuteration is at least 0.1 mg of deuterium for each one dollar in value of the currency note, and preferably at least 0.3 mg. Use of X-ray or gamma ray interrogation with a beam energy above 2 MeV produces a nuclear reaction releasing a neutron from the deuterium nucleus. If the currency is in large concentrations. e.g., $100,000 or more, the neutrons emitted by this reaction are reliably detectable. The deuteration occurs in the cellulose fibers forming the currency. To resist an exchange of hydrogen atoms for deterium atoms, the deuterium atmos can be used in the formation of synthetic cellulose where the deuterium is more deeply buried within the cellulose molecule than in naturally occurring cellulose. The deuterated synthetic fibers are blended with natural, non-deuterated fibers to form the paper. The currency can also include a mechanism, such as dye, to signal attempts to use solvents or otherwise facilitate any such hydrogen substitution.
Patent Number: 5,057,268
Date Issued: October 15 1991