Speaker
Description
Radon is one of the most significant sources of radioactive background in low-energy and ultra-rare event particle and astroparticle physics experiments, such as neutrinoless double-beta decay searches and direct dark matter detection.
Future-generation experiments will require radon concentrations at the level of only a few atoms per cubic meter or per kilogram. Achieving such extremely low concentrations demands the use of highly efficient radon adsorbents.
Several silver-exchanged zeolites have demonstrated radon adsorption capacities more than two orders of magnitude greater than those of the best carbon-based adsorbents reported to date. While these materials exhibit exceptional performance, the mechanisms underlying their adsorption properties remain poorly understood. For future experiments, it is essential to develop a thorough understanding of these materials and establish controlled production processes that ensure both outstanding adsorption performance and ultra-low intrinsic radium contamination.
In this context, the IRENE project, launched in February 2024, brings together CPPM and four laboratories specializing in physical chemistry and materials science. Its objective is to understand, optimize, and develop innovative materials for extreme radon adsorption, with a particular focus on xenon-based applications.
In this presentation, we will discuss recent progress in understanding radon adsorption mechanisms and present preliminary results obtained with newly developed materials.