With the range of blog subscribers we have, it can sometimes be challenging to discuss a topic and strike a tone that interests all of our readers. Some may question who cares about, "Tailoring Surface Properties with Electron Beam Initiated Grafting?" While we like to think that everyone should be interested in everything about it, we will concede that different people may care about the topic from certain and varying angles.
What is it?
Radiation grating is a materials enhancement technique targeted at bonding a surface material with a bulk material in order to satisfy several objectives for a material's development and usage. Basically, combining different materials in order to make the outside act differently than the inside, while optimizing the overall performance of the product.
It has been explored for a broad range of applications aimed at chemically modifying the surface of a product by bonding a material with desirable surface characteristics to a second material with desirable bulk properties (e.g. to obtain good mechanical strength or lower overall cost). This approach enables the development of products which combine materials with virtually any mixture of surface and bulk properties.
Low voltage electron beams come into play in that they can be utilized to deposit energy directly on to the surface of the material. This either triggers the direct bonding of the grafted material or activates the surface of the bulk material, allowing it to react with the grafted material and thereby form chemical bonds.
Where can it be used?
There have been a broad range of applications reported in scientific literature and patents, and there is no doubt an even broader range of proprietary application work. A few examples that have been widely discussed are:
Active packaging technologies. Functional layers are added to commodity packaging material in order to improve gas barriers, supplement food's antioxidant content, and monitor for contamination.
Enhancing biocompatibility of medical implants. Preferential surface properties are chosen in order to improve the chances of the human body accepting a foreign object while the mechanical properties of the bulk materials are targeted to optimize the performance of the implant.
Creating advanced biosensors. Active enzymes, which are immobilized on polymer supports grafted to carefully selected membranes, are incorporated into a sensor array that is used to efficiently detect and measure a wide range of biological agents, such as glucose levels in blood, E. coli levels in food, and anthrax presence in the environment.
Creating advanced membrane technologies. Gas and liquid filtration membrane techniques are largely based on surface chemistry. Advanced membrane technology is beginning to be engineered using electron beam grafting, selectively allowing molecules or particles with certain characteristics to pass while simultaneously blocking others. Applications span a wide range and include water filtration, blood filtration, and ion separation for battery technologies.
Why is it valuable?
The historical challenges related to radiation grafting have not involved which combinations of surface and bulk properties are interesting and valuable, but rather how to economically mass produce products with these characteristics. Most industrial researchers choose a process technology for both its efficacy to achieve the desired results as well as its ability to economically scale to a commercial application. Modern low voltage electron beam technology can be simply and flexibly integrated into a broad range of manufacturing lines.
How can AEB help?
AEB will collaborate at each stage of the development process - from R&D to Pilot to Production. AEB offers a broad range of products and services including laboratory solutions, application development services and emitters for production applications.
Contact us to see how we can help you.
References
* Clough R.L., High-Energy radiation and polymers: A review of commercial processes and emerging applications, Nuclear instruments and methods in physics research, 2001.