Working at levels as small as a billionth of a metre, researchers on an IAEA project have studied radiation's effect on nano-architectures - the design and building of nano structures - and identified four that can already be used by food, medicine, energy and other industries to produce novel nanomaterials.
Nanotechnology is the science and engineering that manipulates materials at the nanoscale. It draws upon diverse disciplines such as chemistry, biology, physics, materials science, engineering and processing technologies to develop extremely small materials with specific functions and properties. Ionizing radiation is revolutionizing nanotechnology as it helps develop nanomaterials with enhanced performance and functionality.
"Radiation is green chemistry," said Celina Horak, Head of the IAEA's Radiochemistry and Radiation Technologies Section, which ran the Coordinated Research Project (CRP). "It offers cleaner, faster and more controlled synthesis of nanomaterials without relying on hazardous substances or extreme processing conditions."
"This technology allows researchers to fine-tune particle size and uniformity while improving key properties like stability, conductivity and reactivity," she added. Such next-generation materials are in high demand in sectors such as agriculture, medical, packaging and environmental sciences.
Radiation Technology for Real-World Issues
The five-year research project aimed to find new radiation-driven nanofabrication processes for value-added products and establish nanofabrication parameters. It brought together 23 research institutes from 21 countries.
Researchers identified four classes of nano-architectures that industries could start applying in the short term: metal nanoparticles; grafted and surface-modified materials; molecular platforms, encapsulants, and blends; and nanostructured materials and dimensionally structured objects.
Scientists focused on the use of radiation on these nano-architectures in six main fields:
- environmental applications
- electronics and energy
- medicine, healthcare, cosmetics
- chemical industry
- advanced functional materials
- food and agriculture
Researchers taking part in the CRP on radiation's impact on nanotechnology have produced 81 scientific papers and 79 conference proceedings, along with 22 post-graduate theses. The publications addressed how radiation technology could boost nanotechnology in areas as diverse as bone tissue engineering, bioplastic food packaging, the removal of potentially harmful azo dyes, which are heavily used in textile and food industries, from wastewater and how such novel materials would support countries in achieving their developmental goals.
Two books on the topic, entitled Nanomaterial Synthesis and Modification by Ionizing Radiation, and Enhancing the Beneficial Effects of Radiation Processing in Nanotechnology, will also be published by the IAEA.
The CRP on Enhancing the Beneficial Effects of Radiation Processing in Nanotechnology (F22070) ran from 2019 to 2024 and follows previous IAEA projects on Nanosized Delivery Systems for Radiopharmaceuticals and Nanoscale Radiation Engineering of Advanced Materials for Potential Biomedical Applications, completed in 2019 and 2013, respectively., respectively
