Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is seeking a commercialization partner for a Nanocapsular Radiation Track Etch Indicator technology. ORNL Office of Technology Transfer is now accepting licensing application through November 15, 2019. Problem: Radioactive contamination from phenomena such as spills of radioactive materials and accumulation of radon gas within homes can be colorless, odorless, and essentially invisible without proper detection equipment. These characteristics result in a significant risk of harmful interaction with radioactive contamination and the uncontrolled spread of these materials. Conventional track etch materials, used for detection of radioactive materials, must be processed under laboratory conditions using caustic chemical etching, increasing risk and reducing flexibility. Solution: ORNL is developing a nanocapsular track etch material that delivers a visible indication following exposure to alpha-particle radiatio n. Unlike conventional track etch materials, the new capsules feature a biodegradable etch mechanism that provides feedback to users without laboratory process ing. The technology may be implemented on small, fixed surfaces such as wipes and sticky notes to provide low-cost single-point test strips or may be aerosol dispersed to larger surfaces, including entire laboratories, to facilitate safe and effective cleanup following radiological spill events. Impact: Low-cost, passive indication of local areas of alpha-emitting radioactive contamination will significantlyimprove the health and safety of radiological technicians, contamination remediation personnel, and the public by reducing the time workers are exposed to potentially harmful materials and the uncontrolled spread of these materials during remediation operations. The technology, formulated as low-cost test strips, will also significantly impact in-home testing of radon, a hard-to-detect radioactive substance that causes approximately 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States. Intellectual Property: Invention Disclosure No. 201804293, US 62/795,118 - Radiation Contamination Visualizer Additional Information: National Laboratory Licensing Guide: https://www.ornl.gov/partnerships/licensing-guidelines.pdf ORNL Licensing Applications: https://www.ornl.gov/sites/default/files/license_appliation_0.pdf Please contact Eugene Cochran, Sr. Comm. Mgr, 865-576-2830,
[email protected] with questions on the business opportunity or to obtain a license application. Please contact Tim McKnight, R&D Staff ORNL, 865-574-5681, with technical questions. Contracting Office Address: Bethel Valley Road P.O. Box 2008 Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6192 Place of Contract Performance: One Bethel Valley Road, Building 4500N, MS-6196 Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6196 United States