SBIR Phase II: Manufacturing Feasibility of New Radiation Shielding Fabrics

小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力包括减少在医疗、牙科和兽医环境中用作辐射屏蔽的铅和有毒元素。铅及其几种盐类化合物一直是首选的辐射屏蔽材料，但有文件证明，辐射工作人员受到了铅污染。这项拟议的技术用安全无毒的元素铋取代了用于辐射屏蔽的铅和其他元素。该项目专注于成型新的、更轻、可清洁、灵活和弹性辐射屏蔽材料的技术挑战，这些材料可用于生产更轻、更符合人体工程学的服装，供在工作中大部分时间佩戴辐射屏蔽的医务人员使用。这项技术是建立在对超高密度微粒复合材料中铋表面稳定化学和化学工程的新科学认识的基础上的。通过调整铋颗粒的表面化学，材料的性质在宏观性能尺度上发生了巨大的变化。在第一阶段，该公司展示了生产最终材料的可行性，包括聚合物的鉴定、材料的放大和复合，从而产生了具有非凡弹性、高X射线衰减和非常薄的目标重量的织物。虽然铋颗粒填充物重量比大于85%的复合材料需要专门的技术和成型要求，但它产生的最终材料性能优于目前市场上所有的辐射屏蔽织物。这个项目解决了许多这样的处理挑战和制造技术。这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势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 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project includes the reduction of lead and toxic elements used as radiation shielding in medical, dental, and veterinary settings. Lead and several of its salt composites have been the go-to radiation shielding material, but there have been documented instances of lead contamination to radiation workers. The proposed technology replaces lead and other elements used in radiation shielding with the safe and non-toxic element bismuth. This project focuses on the technical challenges related to molding new, lighter weight, cleanable, flexible, and elastic radiation shielding materials that can be used to produce garments that are much lighter and more ergonomic for medical personnel who wear radiation shielding for a large portion of their workday. This technology is built on new scientific understandings of bismuth surface stabilization chemistry and chemical engineering in very high-density microparticle composite materials. By tailoring the surface chemistry of bismuth particles, the material properties change dramatically on the macro property scale. In Phase I, the company demonstrated the feasibility of producing the final material, including the identification of polymers, scale-up of materials, and compounding that generated a fabric with exceptional elasticity, high X-ray attenuation, and a very thin profile for its target weight. While composite materials with greater than 85 % by weight bismuth particle filler requires specialized techniques and molding requirements, it yields a superior final material that outperforms all radiation shielding fabrics currently on the market. This project addresses a number of these processing challenges and fabrication techniques.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.