Description du projet
Un nouveau concept scintillant qui permettra de détecter les traces de radioactivité en temps réel
La radioactivité est un phénomène naturel qui se produit lorsque des atomes instables (isotopes radioactifs d’éléments, ou radionucléides) deviennent plus stables en émettant une énergie de rayonnement. Les radionucléides sont présents dans l’environnement en raison du rayonnement cosmique, des radiations émises par divers produits de consommation et de la désintégration radioactive de l’uranium présent dans les roches et le sol. Cependant, la plus grande préoccupation du public concerne sans doute le risque de rejet accidentel d’éléments radioactifs, notamment le krypton-85, le xénon-133, l’hydrogène-3 et l’argon-37, produits par les activités humaines. Le projet SPARTE, financé par l’UE, met actuellement au point des systèmes efficaces, rapides et très sensibles pour détecter ces gaz grâce à des matériaux poreux scintillants innovants.
Objectif
Radioactive gases are key targets for the environment, making gas monitoring an important issue. SPARTE will focus on the detection and activity measurement metrology of tracers related to nuclear activities. In this respect, the detection of 85Kr, 133Xe, 3H, 37Ar, being all emitter or electron capture radionuclides, is targeted. SPARTE will implement and achieve a radically novel radioactive gas detection and radioactivity metrology, by introducing highly porous scintillating aerogels and/or Metal-Organic Frameworks designed to dramatically extend gas-matter interaction for effective detection through scintillation. These materials after development and optimization will combine an efficient, fast and isotropic scintillation ensuring homogeneous 3D response and high sensitivity for metrology.
The goal will be to realize functional solid-based sensors generating a close intermixing between the sensor and the analyte and to combine efficiency and homogeneity. Major breakthroughs are foreseen: a calibration method for low activity range of 85Kr and 133Xe, a real time detection system of for some noble gas and 3H with a significantly improved sensitivity in an easy deployable system, a detector for 37Ar. SPARTE consortium proposes a unique combination of competences aimed at succeeding in the difficult task of pioneering a new technology track, from sensor as porous scintillator to critical radioactive gas detection and metrology method development. It covers the six critical skills - i.e. aerogels and MOFs scintillating monolith preparation, structural and scintillation characterization, ionizing radiation detection and its modeling – needed to reach our goals. The consortium combines 4 leading research centers and 2 SMEs around 3 core expertises - processing, characterization and metrology - also encompassing the industrial perspective, in order to create the interdisciplinary “substrate” necessary for a successful outcome of the project.
Champ scientifique
- natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrynoble gases
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesnuclear physics
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensors
- natural scienceschemical sciencesnuclear chemistryradiation chemistry
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RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinateur
69622 Villeurbanne Cedex
France