Nuclear Sensors overview

The Nuclear Sensors research program explores the application of positrons and the design of nuclear sensors to understand the structural/functional relationships of nano and microtechnologies.

Today, a successful product requires the analysis of its life-cycle and any potential side-effects before it enters the market. Manufacturers are expected to display philosophies that encourage the creation of new technologies to enhance our quality of life at a reduced cost and reduce the negative impacts on our environment. Due consideration of the product's impact on the health of a community and its environment is essential.

The Nuclear Sensors program will create new opportunities for the application of nuclear science techniques in the rapidly advancing and exciting nano and microtechnologies field and in healthcare.

It will  also provide knowledge that will assist in the safe and responsible engineering of new materials. It can be used to predict their properties, while identifying opportunities to reduce time, waste and energy usage in their synthesis. This will lead to highly sensitive, specific, and more accurate techniques for assessing the impact of new technologies throughout their life-cycle in our communities and the environment.

Key project areas

Nuclear Sensors for Engineering of Nano and Microtechnologies involves three key project areas:

1. Nuclear Sensor Design: designing and characterising purpose-built nuclear sensors to study transport properties and surface reactivity of porous and functional materials.
2. Structure-Function Relationships: applying nuclear sensors to probe structure/function properties of porous and functional particles and films.
3. Translational Research: optimising production processes for nuclear sensors and the transfer of technology to key partners.

The Nuclear Sensors project aims to be recognised as an international leader in the application of nuclear science and technology to create innovative healthcare and sustainable environmental practices for research and industry.

Our mission and values

• Environment: To provide leadership to research and industry by developing products that are environmentally sustainable and practices that reduce risk to our communities.
• Healthcare: Develop products that facilitate proactive patient management, reduce side effects and improve quality of life for the Australian and International healthcare communities.
• Product potential: Continually improve the design of our products by ensuring the implementation of quality systems and cost effective processes; provide knowledgeable and skilled support to internal and external partners to ensure that products and technology reach their full market potential; provide unique capabilities and reliable infrastructure that is compliant with current regulations and allows researchers to conduct leading-edge research.
• Waste Management: Proactively review our processes and practices to ensure minimal production of waste and impact on our environment.
• Communication: To communicate advances in the nuclear sensors program to the scientific community and develop an outreach program that educates the Australian public of its success.