First Structured Uranium-Based Monoliths Produced via Vat Photopolymerization for Nuclear Applications

Uranium plays an unquestionable role in the framework of nuclear physics, biology and radiopharmacy. Moreover, uranyl ion UO22+ offers an immense variety of applications due to the unique photosensitivity of its complexes. The excited state of uranyl cation is indeed accessible under ultraviolet (UV)-visible light, readily producing radical species UO22+* upon light irradiation. Herein, we present an innovative synthesis protocol to explore the use of uranyl cations as photocatalyst systems for photocurable sol-gel based formulations, coupling the photochemical reactions of uranyl cations with photopolymerization-based additive manufacturing processes. Additive manufacturing (AM) has nowadays revolutionized the production of complex structures with arbitrary geometries and has opened up enticing opportunities for innovative technological breakthroughs and highly tailorable systems. The fabrication of micro-architected components is shown via vat photopolymerization, namely Digital Light Processing technique, and 3D printed parts were converted into UC2/carbon nanocomposite upon carbothermal reduction. To the best of our knowledge, this uranyl-mediated additive manufacturing process constitutes the first application of the synergistic role of uranyl motifs in a photopolymer platform, demonstrating for the first time the possibility to directly pattern uranium-based materials in complex structures.

ZANINI Alice;  AMADOR CELDRAN Pedro;  WALTER Olaf;  CARTURAN S.;  BOSHOVEN Co;  BULGHERONI Antonio;  BIASETTO Lisa;  MANZOLARO M.;  ELOIRDI Rachel;  CORRADETTI Stefano;  FRANCHIN Giorgia; 

2024-11-22

WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH

JRC138460

1616-301X (online),   

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adfm.202406916,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC138460,   

10.1002/adfm.202406916 (online),