I-Corps: Carbon Based, Low-Density Radiation Shielding Material

I-Corps项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是提高核废料管理的安全性和降低成本。目前的轻型辐射屏蔽材料缺乏所需的温度稳定性。为了保护放射性环境中生物、电气和结构系统的健康，需要具有更好性能的新型辐射屏蔽材料。核工业辐射屏蔽的改进每年可以节省10亿美元以上，并降低电力成本。这些先进材料的商业化还可以最大限度地减少福岛等灾难的影响，并降低清理工作的成本。飞机和卫星也需要轻型辐射屏蔽材料，以保护工作人员和电子系统免受宇宙辐射的伤害，并为从事辐射相关治疗的医务人员提供保护。I-Corps项目基于一种创新的轻质辐射屏蔽材料，该材料可承受的工作温度几乎是商用产品的两倍。已经证明，添加碳基颗粒可以更快地将热量从放射性废物中转移出去；这为核废料的处置提供了更安全的选择。另外的技术优点在于制造工艺，该工艺已被开发用于减轻材料的重量和尺寸。它还使该技术与现有产品相比具有成本竞争力，同时提供更好的屏蔽性能。I-Corps的调查将确定这种材料的商业潜力。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the improved safety and reduced cost of managing nuclear waste. Current lightweight radiation shielding materials lack the required temperature stability. New radiation shielding materials with better properties are needed to protect the health of biological, electrical, and structural systems in radioactive environments. Radiation shielding improvements in the nuclear industry could result in upwards of one billion dollars in savings annually and result in lower electricity costs. Commercialization of these advanced materials can also minimize the effects of disasters like Fukushima and reduce the costs of clean-up efforts. Lightweight radiation shielding materials are also needed in airplanes and satellites to protect workers and electronic systems from cosmic radiation and for medical personnel working with radiation related treatments. This I-Corps project is based on an innovative lightweight radiation shielding material that withstands operating temperatures nearly double those of commercially available products. It has been demonstrated that the addition of carbon-based particles can more quickly move heat away from radioactive waste; this enables safer disposal options for the nuclear waste. Additional technical merit lies in the fabrication process that has been developed to reduce the weight and size of the material. It also enables the technology to be cost competitive with existing products while providing better shielding properties. The I-Corps investigation will determine the commercial potential for this material.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.