Insider Brief
University of Arizona researchers demonstrated that graphene nanoribbons can survive gamma radiation while producing measurable electrical changes, suggesting they could serve as radiation sensors for fusion reactors and space systems.
The proof-of-concept study found that gamma radiation altered the nanoribbons’ electrical behavior without damaging their atomic structure, potentially enabling real-time monitoring of radiation damage closer to a fusion reactor core than current silicon-based sensors can operate.
The researchers plan to test the devices under different radiation doses and nanoribbon designs to determine whether the material’s sensitivity can be tailored for applications ranging from fusion energy to long-duration space missions.
PRESS RELEASE — University of Arizona researchers have demonstrated a promising new application for graphene nanoribbons, a nanoscale semiconductor material with the potential to withstand extreme environments. The team’s findings could help clear a key hurdle to bringing fusion energy to the electric grid.For the proof-of-concept study, published in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, the researchers integrated the nanoribbons, known as GNRs, into semiconductor devices and exposed them to gamma radiation. Their results suggest that the ribbons could serve as radiation sensors for fusion reactors and in deep space, where intense radiation challenges existing technologies and close monitoring of material degradation could help keep critical systems operating reliably.
