New Hair-Thin, Stretchy Material Shields Next-Gen Space Tech from Radiation
▼ Summary
– A new material thinner than a human hair and stretchable like rubber has been developed to shield against both electromagnetic and neutron radiation.
– The material uses carbon nanotubes to absorb and reflect electromagnetic waves and boron nitride nanotubes to capture neutrons, blocking 99.999% of electromagnetic waves and 72% of neutron radiation.
– Radiation from space and from technologies like medical devices and spacecraft can damage equipment and harm humans, motivating the need for lightweight shielding.
– The material can be stretched to double its length and 3D-printed; a honeycomb shape improved its radiation shielding by 15%.
– Its lightweight nature is a key advantage for space missions, where weight is critical, and it could protect satellites, space stations, and protective gear.
A newly developed material, thinner than a human hair and as stretchy as rubber, promises to revolutionize how scientists shield both people and sensitive equipment from harmful radiation. The innovation tackles a persistent challenge in space exploration and technology development.
Radiation poses a dual threat in the space sector. Beyond the well-known dangers of cosmic radiation that astronauts face beyond Earth’s atmosphere, many critical technologies used in spaceflight, such as medical devices, semiconductors, power plants, and the spacecraft themselves, generate their own radiation. While essential for operation, this emitted radiation can interfere with nearby electronics or pose health risks to humans on the ground and in orbit.
To address this, researchers have engineered a lightweight, flexible shielding material that blocks both electromagnetic waves and neutron radiation. The team envisions it as a far lighter alternative for protecting both technology and personnel involved in space missions. “This material represents a completely new concept in shielding technology,” said lead author Joo Yong-ho from the Extreme Environment Shielding Materials Research Center at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology. “It is as thin as tape and as flexible as rubber, yet simultaneously blocks both electromagnetic waves and radiation.”
The source of this dual protection lies in the material’s composition, which combines two distinct types of nanotubes. Carbon nanotubes, which are conductive, absorb and reflect electromagnetic waves. Boron nitride nanotubes are specifically effective at capturing neutrons. Working together, these two components can block 99.999% of electromagnetic waves and 72% of neutron radiation.
The material’s flexibility offers an additional advantage. It can be stretched to double its original length, making it compatible with 3D printing processes. The researchers experimented with different printed shapes and discovered that forming the material into a honeycomb pattern improved its radiation-shielding effectiveness by 15%.
Given that every extra ounce of weight adds significant cost and complexity to launching a payload into space, this new material’s combination of extreme lightness and high efficacy is a major breakthrough. The potential applications are vast, ranging from protecting satellites and space stations to creating better protective gear for engineers, technicians, and astronauts alike.
The findings were detailed in a study published March 4 in the journal Advanced Materials.
(Source: Space.com)