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Radiation Protection & Shielding
The Radiation Protection and Shielding Division is developing and promoting radiation protection and shielding aspects of nuclear science and technology — including interaction of nuclear radiation with materials and biological systems, instruments and techniques for the measurement of nuclear radiation fields, and radiation shield design and evaluation.
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2025 ANS Annual Conference
June 15–18, 2025
Chicago, IL|Chicago Marriott Downtown
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The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
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Latest News
NC State, SRNS partner to attract young talent
North Carolina State University and Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) have joined forces to address the ongoing need for specialists in nuclear and criticality safety engineering (N&CSE) at the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site, near Aiken, S.C.
Shameem Hasan, Tushar K. Ghosh
Nuclear Technology | Volume 181 | Number 2 | February 2013 | Pages 371-379
Technical Paper | Miscellaneous | doi.org/10.13182/NT13-A15791
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Uranium oxide (U3O8) nanoparticles were synthesized and coated in situ with porous, mesostructured silica using a modified sol-gel method for use as a catalyst. The catalytic property of coated U3O8 nanoparticles was evaluated by exposing them to an aqueous solution of benzene at 500 mg/l at room temperature. The presence of benzene was not detected by an ultraviolet (UV)-visible (UV-vis) spectrometer after 6 weeks of exposure to coated uranium oxide nanoparticles, indicating the particles' potential as a catalyst. Based on the results of the benzene destruction, it may be suggested that the coated U3O8 nanoparticle-based catalyst has the potential to destroy hydrocarbons, aromatics, and various toxic substances such as perchlorates and 1,4-dioxane from groundwater. However, further experiments are necessary to explore the full potential of the catalyst. Pluronic-123, n-butanol, and 2-propanol were used as surfactant, cosurfactant, and continuous phase, respectively, for the synthesis of the U3O8 nanoparticles, which were formed through nucleation, growth, and subsequent aggregation in the solution phase. The nanoparticles were coated in situ using an aqueous solution of tetraethyl orthosilicate. The coated particles were characterized using transmission electron microscopy, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy, nitrogen physisorption, X-ray diffraction, and diffuse reflectance UV-vis spectroscopy. These measurements revealed that U3O8 particles ranging from 4- to 10-nm were distributed exclusively inside the silica matrix.