A multidisciplinary team of physicists, chemists and meteorologists from the CNRS, Claude Bernard Lyon University, CEA and ENS Lyon has taken a crucial step in the detection of radioactive gases using a scintillating aerogel. This innovative material, known as a porous aerogel, enables real-time detection and discrimination of radioactive gas mixtures such as tritium (3H) and krypton-85 (85Kr), commonly used in the nuclear sector.
Porous aerogel: Non-destructive and real-time detection
Porous aerogel, a highly nanostructured material, has been shown to detect 85Kr with 96% efficiency and tritium with 18% efficiency. These radioactive elements, which are difficult to measure due to their low energy, are essential for safety and environmental monitoring in nuclear plants. nuclear power plants. The use of aerogel allows readings to be obtained in less than 100 seconds, which represents a significant advance compared to traditional methods that require laborious and time-consuming processing.
This new method not only stands out for its high sensitivity, but also for its ability to measure without destroying or contaminating the environment. Traditionally, radioactive gas detection has involved techniques such as ionization chambers and gas mixing, which are less accurate and require laboratory samples. In contrast, scintillating aerogel allows in situ measurements, improving the efficiency of nuclear power plants. nuclear power plants and reducing the waste generated by older methods.
Environmental monitoring and the future of nuclear energy
Aerogel not only has applications in nuclear plant safety, but is also crucial for monitoring radioactive emissions in the environment. With its ability to detect mixtures of gaseous radionuclides in real time, this material promises to revolutionize the way nuclear safety is managed and radioactive gases are monitored in various industries.
This breakthrough, published in Nature Photonics, promises to transform radioactive emission monitoring, bringing a faster and greener approach to nuclear surveillance.
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Source: Nature
Photo: shutterstock
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