NSUF 25-5206: Elucidating the Role of Polymeric Coatings in Optical Fiber Sensors under Neutron Irradiation

This project aims to investigate the hypothesis that polymeric coatings on optical fibers undergo a transformation to a glassy carbon phase during neutron and gamma irradiation; this glassy carbon would then compacts and contributes to unexplained signal drift in optical fiber sensors used in nuclear environments. While compaction of glassy carbon under neutron irradiation has been experimentally demonstrated, the formation of glassy carbon from optical fiber polymer coatings during irradiation has not yet been evaluated, and will be the objective of the proposed experiment. Preliminary findings suggest that, while the known glass compaction in silica accounts for some signal drift, it alone cannot explain the shift observed in reactor irradiation of optical fiber sensors, leading to the hypothesis that the polymeric coating's transformation plays a significant role. To test this, we will analyze optical fibers that were previously irradiated at the Penn State Breazeale Reactor using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy to identify the presence of a glassy carbon phase in the polymer coating and its adhesion to the glass cladding. Thus, we request access to Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s LAMDA facility to carry out the material characterization of irradiated samples. This research is expected to clarify the coating’s contribution to signal drift, which is one of the challenges hindering the application of fiber optic sensors in high-radiation environments. This research will provide insights for developing radiation-resistant coatings, directly impacting the field of advanced sensor technology for nuclear reactor applications. The proposed Rapid Turnaround Experiment involves shipping samples from Penn State’s Radiation Science and Engineering Center to Oak Ridge National Lab’s LAMDA Facility. The timeline is as follows: samples will arrive at LAMDA within one month of the award date, with experiments completed by the end of the second month. The entire project, including sample shipping and preparation, is expected to conclude within two months. The PI commits to promptly processing and sharing the results with the community through journal publications and conference presentations.

Informações Adicionais

Campo	Valor
Award Announced Date	2025-08-06T10:05:22.933
Awarded Institution	Pennsylvania State University
Facility Tech Lead	Kenan Unlu, Kory Linton
Irradiation Facility
PI	Federico Scurti
PI Email	[email protected]
Project Type	RTE
RTE Number	None