A new technological method of making safe radioisotope products in the form of an open source of ionising radiation (IRS) has been proposed by the scientists at Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU). These products could be used to create important devices for space, medical, radiation, nuclear, construction, resource extraction and many other technologies. For example, radionuclide thermoelectric generators and thermal units.

As it has been reported at the Institute of Science-Intensive Technologies and Advanced Materials, the scientists combined innovative technologies to produce a nature-like ceramic material of perovskite structure for safe immobilisation of strontium-90 radioisotope and integrated the resulting ceramics into a metal frame structure made of a strong and radiation-resistant titanium alloy, which acts as a carrier for the active ceramic zone.

"Production of an open-type radionuclide source, when the core with the radionuclide is located on a steel substrate (carrier) and is in contact with the atmosphere, is advisable using perovskite ceramics. Such ceramic matrices have high relative density and mechanical characteristics and firmly retain the radionuclide in their volume, preventing its uncontrolled release into the environment. However, forming a strong bond between the ceramic and the steel while maintaining the integrity of the product is an extremely complex technological process,

These are unique scientific facilities for creating and studying the structure and properties of new materials, as well as high-tech production equipment for making finished products with a new level of quality and purpose.

The radiation-hazardous class of products is subject to continuous high quality control during manufacture, operation and subsequent storage. Regulatory bodies, such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), severely restrict the use of existing products and increase requirements to develop new alternative materials and designs for the RDI in order to minimize any risks of radiation exposure and environmental contamination. FEFU scientists made extensive use of synchrotron techniques to characterise the chemical process of synthesizing nature-like ceramic material and analysing it.

The RIF Synchrotron will work in five priority areas: life sciences, physics and materials science, ocean exploration, digital development and socio-humanitarian research. The facility will give an impetus to the development of the higher education system, will have a positive impact on the quality of scientific research and will stimulate production growth in high-tech industries: space industry, aircraft construction, motor vehicles, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas industry, biomedicine and nanoelectronics.

The research was supported by a grant from the Presidential Programme for Research Projects of the Russian Science and Education Foundation and the Ministry of Science and Education of the Russian Federation. The results are published in the journal Ceramics International.