Narrow Results

With the aim of characterizing polymer-based drug delivery systems a combination of Scanning MeV ³He microbeam Nuclear Reaction, Backscattering and Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) techniques has been developed. This, together with gravimetric and UV techniques has been applied to characterize both water infusion and drug effusion for three in-mouth polymer–drug systems. Preliminary results are presented from the exposure of polymers, containing drug at a level of 9% by weight of the dry polymer, to both pure water and a phosphate buffered saline solution at 37°C.

The New Zealand capability in Ion Beam Analysis of air particulate samples has been upgraded in recent years. The main equipment change has been the introduction of the ability to analyse samples taken using the Streaker (PIXE International Corporation) sampling system. This is an automated sampler which allows for great flexibility in monitoring programmes by collecting particulates for up to about 70 sampling periods which can range in collection times from seconds to many hours. The IBA analysis for hydrogen on standard filters and for PIXE multi-elemental analysis of the Streaker filters has also been studied with a view to optimising analytical methods.

A micro-PIXE analysis system based on the ion beam analysis system by Oxford Microbeams Ltd. has been developed at the NIRS-electrostatic accelerator facility. The introduction of the CdTe X-ray detector dramatically improved the detection efficiencies for heavy elements that are important in the life sciences and environmental science. This system has been used for various projects and has provided several meaningful results, thus establishing the micro-PIXE system as an effective tool for the determination of elemental distribution with a high spatial resolution. In this paper, outline of the features of the micro-PIXE system at NIRS along with its recent application in research are introduced.

The status of the field of analysis of biological material using PIXE and complementary ion beam techniques are discussed. The development of PIXE with relevance to biology and the future prospects of Bio-PIXE are described.

Direct current accelerators form the basis of many front-line industrial processes. They have many advantages that have kept them at the forefront of technology for many decades, such as a small and easily managed environmental footprint. In this article, the basic principles of the different subsystems (ion and electron sources, high voltage generation, control, etc.) are overviewed. Some well-known (ion implantation and polymer processing) and lesser-known (electron beam lithography and particle-induced X-ray aerosol mapping) applications are reviewed.

This section updates Volume 4 of the Reviews of Accelerator Science and Technology titled “Accelerator Applications in Industry and the Environment,” published in 2011 [A. W. Chao and W. Chou (eds.), Reviews of Accelerator Science and Technology, Accelerator Applications in Industry and the Environment, Vol. 4 (World Scientific, 2011)]. We also include the new material available about this field following the publication of “The Beam Business: Accelerators in Industry” in 2011 [R. W. Hamm and M. E. Hamm, Physics Today 46–51 (June 2011)] and “Industrial Accelerators and Their Applications” in 2012 [R. W. Hamm and M. E. Hamm, Industrial Accelerators and Their Applications (World Scientific, 2012)], both written and co-edited by one of us (RWH). We start with some general trends in industrial accelerator developments and applications and then move on to bringing the up-to-date developments in each article of Volume 4. In this regard, we owe a debt of gratitude to many of the authors of sections of RAST-$4$, and they are gratefully acknowledged in each of their individual update submissions.

The University of North Texas (UNT) Ion Beam Modification and Analysis Laboratory (IBMAL) has four particle accelerators including a National Electrostatics Corporation (NEC) 9SDH-2 3 MV tandem Pelletron, a NEC 9SH 3 MV single-ended Pelletron, and a 200 kV Cockcroft-Walton. A fourth HVEC AK 2.5 MV Van de Graaff accelerator is presently being refurbished as an educational training facility. These accelerators can produce and accelerate almost any ion in the periodic table at energies from a few keV to tens of MeV. They are used to modify materials by ion implantation and to analyze materials by numerous atomic and nuclear physics techniques. The NEC 9SH accelerator was recently installed in the IBMAL and subsequently upgraded with the addition of a capacitive-liner and terminal potential stabilization system to reduce ion energy spread and therefore improve spatial resolution of the probing ion beam to hundreds of nanometers. Research involves materials modification and synthesis by ion implantation for photonic, electronic, and magnetic applications, micro-fabrication by high energy (MeV) ion beam lithography, microanalysis of biomedical and semiconductor materials, development of highenergy ion nanoprobe focusing systems, and educational and outreach activities. An overview of the IBMAL facilities and some of the current research projects are discussed.

This section updates Volume 4 of the Reviews of Accelerator Science and Technology titled “Accelerator Applications in Industry and the Environment,” published in 2011 [A. W. Chao and W. Chou (eds.), Reviews of Accelerator Science and Technology, Accelerator Applications in Industry and the Environment, Vol. 4 (World Scientific, 2011)]. We also include the new material available about this field following the publication of “The Beam Business: Accelerators in Industry” in 2011 [R. W. Hamm and M. E. Hamm, Physics Today 46–51 (June 2011)] and “Industrial Accelerators and Their Applications” in 2012 [R. W. Hamm and M. E. Hamm, Industrial Accelerators and Their Applications (World Scientific, 2012)], both written and co-edited by one of us (RWH). We start with some general trends in industrial accelerator developments and applications and then move on to bringing the up-to-date developments in each article of Volume 4. In this regard, we owe a debt of gratitude to many of the authors of sections of RAST-4, and they are gratefully acknowledged in each of their individual update submissions.

Direct current accelerators form the basis of many front-line industrial processes. They have many advantages that have kept them at the forefront of technology for many decades, such as a small and easily managed environmental footprint. In this article, the basic principles of the different subsystems (ion and electron sources, high voltage generation, control, etc.) are overviewed. Some well-known (ion implantation and polymer processing) and lesser-known (electron beam lithography and particle-induced X-ray aerosol mapping) applications are reviewed.

In microfiltration, caking is a major problem. Organic molecules get absorbed on the track-etched membrane TM surface during water purification. This leads to a loss of efficiency and changes in TM selectivity. A solution devised to solve this problem is the creation of self-cleaning, low-absorptive TM coatings. The TM surface was modified by depositing a thin-film photocatalytic semiconductor, titanium dioxide (TiO₂). Strong oxidizing agents appear on the TiO₂ surface in the presence of water, dissolved oxygen and UV irradiation. This results in the mineralization of the organic compounds present, By applying the use of exotic beams in the material research, it becomes possible to investigate properties regarding the layer thickness, homogeneity and purity of the modified TMs, not otherwise attainable.