Project description
Crystallographic knowledge for understanding xenon reactivity
Xenon (Xe) is a rare, naturally occurring noble gas that is largely unreactive. This makes it useful in dark-matter detection, space propulsion, and as an anaesthetic. It is rare and expensive to extract from the air, but capturing and recycling could offer another source. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the CrystXeMin project will investigate how Xe reacts with common minerals under Earth’s crustal conditions, using crystallographic knowledge to address instrumental challenges. The findings are expected to enhance our understanding of xenon reactivity and produce the first recoverable xenon-rich minerals at ambient conditions. The project is also set to identify natural minerals capable of capturing and recycling xenon, while exploring mechanisms for locating deep sources of this gas.
Objective
Xenon (Xe) is a noble gas that was thought to be inert up to the middle of the 20th century. Recently, it has attracted more attention due to its uses in dark-matter detectors, in propulsion for space exploration, and due to its effective anaesthetic and other therapeutic properties. For these applications, xenon is extracted from air, but it is scarce and costly. However, Xe could be retained under the Earth's surface, potentially providing another deep source of this gas that could facilitate further technological and medicinal advances.
Current data on xenon retention in minerals is sparse due to extreme reaction conditions, instability of products, and instrumental limitations. The CrystXeMin project, supported by Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, aims to systematically investigate reactivity of xenon with common minerals under Earth crust conditions while utilizing crystallographic knowledge to mitigate instrumental limitations. This study will not just expand knowledge on the reactivity of this inert gas and produce the first Xe-rich minerals recoverable at ambient conditions. The project will unveil natural minerals that can react with xenon and can be used to capture and recycle this gas. Furthermore, an understanding of Xe concentration mechanisms can lead to the location of deep sources of this gas, facilitating its use for technological advances.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
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CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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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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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
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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-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
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(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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75006 Paris
France
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