To obtain composite materials made with mineral charges embedded in a polymer matrix that remains transparent in the visible light domain, it is crucial to disperse very small particles at the nanometric scale. Highly well-separated nanoparticles is the key issue to this requirement. Furthermore new interesting properties may be brought in the polymer composite depending on the nanoparticle chemical composition.
For the last few years, we have been involved in a research aiming at obtaining, characterizing and simulating the behavior of polymer/ charge composites which would both remain transparent to the visible light and attenuate X-ray beams. We are currently focusing ourselves on hybrid nanoparticles of the “core-shell” type: the core bringing the x-ray attenuation and the shell being compatible with the polymer matrix whereas it prevents nanoparticles aggregation.
This work is performed in close collaboration with companies (Lemer Pax, Arkema). Patents are pending.
|
(version française)
