Nuclear Nano-Engineering

在过去的二十年里，纳米技术革命带来了许多新材料、新的加工技术和具有非凡功能的复杂纳米系统。这个项目将推动纳米技术进入核工程的新领域。它探索跨越核工程和纳米技术的跨学科研究机会。新型纳米材料和纳米结构将用于开发利用核能的新手段，并有效地将其转化为电能和光能。长寿命、小型化的核电池将被开发以提供持续的？ÝW-level电源支持关键任务的微和纳米系统。将开发一种无污染的制造技术，将微尺度放射性同位素与片上纳米器件单片集成。将探索用于国土安全和生物医学应用的发电和传感新设备。该项目还将利用新型纳米结构的最新进展来检测放射性物质。这项融合纳米技术和核工程的跨学科研究将在各自的科学和技术领域激发新的机会。同位素微电源将极大地提高用于无人值勤应用的微纳米系统的使用寿命，这些应用涵盖远程勘探、无人军事行动和植入设备。微同位素源的芯片级开发将使在细胞水平上详细研究辐射效应成为可能。这可能会导致使用放射疗法改善癌症治疗。新型纳米结构的使用有望加速用于国土安全和环境保护的高灵敏度辐射探测器的发展。拟议中的教育努力将为学生提供一个新的视角，将微小的纳米世界与巨大的核电站连接起来。

In the last two decades, the nanotechnology revolution has led to a number of new materials, novel processing techniques, and complex nano-systems with extraordinary functionalities. This program will push nanotechnology into new frontiers in nuclear engineering. It explores interdisciplinary research opportunities that bridge nuclear engineering and nanotechnology. Novel nano-materials and nano-structures will be used to develop new means of harnessing nuclear energy and efficiently convert it into electric and optical energy. Long-life, miniaturized nuclear batteries will be developed to provide sustained ?ÝW-level power for support of mission-critical micro- and nano-systems. A contamination-free fabrication technique will be developed to monolithically integrate micro-scale radioactive isotopes with on-chip nano-devices. New devices for power generation and sensing will be explored for homeland security and biomedical applications. This program will also leverage recent advances in novel nanostructures for the detection of radioactive materials. This interdisciplinary research, fusing nanotechnology and nuclear engineering, will spark new opportunities in their respective areas of science and technology. Isotope micro-power sources will dramatically improve the operational life of micro- and nano- systems used for unattended applications, which span remote exploration, unmanned military operations and implanted devices. The chip-scale development of micro-isotope sources will enable detailed studies of radiation effects at the cellular level. This may lead to improved cancer treatment using radiation therapy. The use of novel nano-structures promises to speed the development of high-sensitivity radiation detectors for homeland security and for environmental protection. The proposed education efforts will offer students a refreshing perspective that bridges the small nano-world with giant nuclear power plants.