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DOE OSTI · 1841602

Luminescent silica microagglomerates, synthesis, and environmental testing

Hubbard, Lance (ORCID:0000000302603641)·Reed, Clara·Uhnak, Nicolas·Sumner, Ryan·Cell, Trevor·Kinney, Erin·Smith, Nathaniel·Allen, Caleb·Foxe, Michael·Carman, April
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Abstract

Abstract Tracking mass through harsh environments requires surrogate particles that withstand the event and endure until sampling. Silica-covered quantum dots have been shown to withstand a range of environmental pHs from months to years; in this work they are shown to endure in anticipated local environments. Two methods of particle synthesis were employed to produce luminescent silica with particle diameters 0.1–4 μm. These tracer particles scale for mass production, tolerate harsh environments, and endure in debris. They could be deployed in places such as chemical explosions, industrial processes, geologic test beds, oil and gas fields, nuclear reactors, and geothermal plants to track mass under harsh conditions. Graphical abstract

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37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRYEnvironmentally protectiveparticulatepowderquantum dotquantum materialsresilient

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Hubbard, Lance (ORCID:0000000302603641), Reed, Clara, Uhnak, Nicolas, Sumner, Ryan, Cell, Trevor, Kinney, Erin, Smith, Nathaniel, Allen, Caleb, Foxe, Michael, Carman, April. 2022-01-24. Luminescent silica microagglomerates, synthesis, and environmental testing. https://doi.org/10.1557/s43579-022-00150-3

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