Project description
Towards greener gas mixtures in particle detectors
EU regulations (2024/573) are phasing out tetrafluoroethane (R134a), a greenhouse gas commonly used in resistive plate chambers (RPCs) for particle detection. A more climate-friendly alternative, tetrafluoropropene (HFO), is under investigation However, its long-term chemical impact on detector components is still not fully understood. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the EcoRPCchem project is studying how HFO-based gas mixtures influence the ageing of RPCs. Researchers are comparing the electrical and chemical properties of new and irradiated materials using techniques like EDX spectroscopy, SEM, and resistivity measurements. Their findings will feed into a predictive model and simulation code to assess the durability of future HFO-based systems.
Objective
With the enforcement of EU regulations 2024/573, the production and usage of Tetrafluoroethane (R134a) has been strongly regulated. This gas is a key component in the gas mixture of Resistive Plate Chambers, a detector technology widely employed in high-energy physics. A potential, more environment-friendly, substitute for this gas is Tetrafluoropropene (HFO) and several promising HFO-based mixtures have been proposed. The long-term behavior (aging) of RPCs operated with these mixtures is typically studied by exposing several detectors flushed with an HFO-based gas mixture to a radioactive source and by studying the stability of the absorbed current and RPC performance over time
Experimental tests are crucial to spot and quantify aging effects, but can rarely provide an explanation for their origin. This requires a deeper understanding of the microscopical modifications of the materials induced by the HFO decomposition when exposed to irradiation. This project aims at breaking down the aging phenomena of several RPC components in their basic building blocks by comparing the chemical (EDX spectroscopy and SEM analyses) and electrical (resistivity) features of new and aged samples of RPC materials. The results of these analyses will be used to formulate a model to describe the observed effects and develop a simulation code, allowing for a systematic test of the aging properties of different HFO-based gas mixtures.
I will carry out my research at the High Voltage Laboratory of the ETH Zurich University and at the Physics Department at the University of Torino, with the guidance of Prof. Christian Franck and Martino Gagliardi, leading experts on eco-friendly high-voltage gaseous insulation and RPC detectors respectively, while the chemical analyses will be performed at the CERN chemical laboratory.
On a personal level, this project will strengthen my academic profile significantly and provide an ideal training ground for my project- and time-management skills.
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
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Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-GF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
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(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01
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10124 Torino
Italy
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