Radiation Curing of Composites for Enhancing their Features and Utility in Health Care and Industry

Composite materials combine properties of the individual components in a synergetic manner to produce a variety of materials in an efficient and cost effective manner. Thus, composite materials today are being used in various applications from sports equipment, automotive and aerospace industries to food packaging and artificial organs. Materials reinforced with nanoscale components are adding new dimensions to composite materials and enable further major improvements in functional and structural properties. The incorporation of only a few percent of nano-sized particles can make dramatic property changes that may result in sensing, actualization or self-healing properties of the resulting composite. Several major issues need to be addressed to utilize the full potential of such nanofillers, and among them: (i) incompatibility or weak interfacial bonding between the matrix and the nanoscale component, and (ii) agglomeration of nanosized component during processing resulting in inhomogeneous distribution. According to the results of ongoing investigation and products preparation in several Member States institutions, radiation technology offers a way of overcoming these challenges by grafting of appropriate monomers/polymers onto the nanofiller surface thereby fixing their morphology and at the same time making them compatible with the host polymer. Additionally, radiation techniques offer the possibility for simultaneous synthesis of the nanoparticle component and crosslinking of the matrix of the composite that is not possible to achieve by other techniques. With the availability of lower cost self-shielded low energy electron beam accelerators, this process is increasingly becoming available for developing member states. In order to use the advantages of radiation techniques and address the needs of Member States for producing advanced composite materials, this CRP has been formulated based on the recommendations of a Consultant’s Meeting. The CRP aims to support MS to develop methodologies and protocols for new abrasion resistant coating formulations, radiation curable nano-composites from natural polymers, new biodegradable packaging materials suitable for radiation sterilization, and new methods to modify surface characteristic of nano-sized materials to enhance polymer fillers interaction. This CRP will provide a forum for knowledge and technology transfer among the participating institutions, as well as to promote early involvement of developing countries in knowledge-intensive R&D programs to enhance their level of competence and confidence and promote the local spin-off initiatives.