The Atomic Avengers plan to determine the optimal intensity of gamma rays for efficiently producing hydrogels from gelatin monomers. They will expose gelatin samples to different intensities of gamma rays produced by collisions of protons with helium nuclei at CERN and measure the degree of polymerization using gel permeation chromatography. The gamma ray intensity will be measured with thermoluminescent dosimeters. The most energy-efficient intensity will be calculated by dividing the degree of polymerization by the energy used. They hope this research inspires further studies on applying hydrogels to medicine.
The Atomic Avengers plan to determine the optimal intensity of gamma rays for efficiently producing hydrogels from gelatin monomers. They will expose gelatin samples to different intensities of gamma rays produced by collisions of protons with helium nuclei at CERN and measure the degree of polymerization using gel permeation chromatography. The gamma ray intensity will be measured with thermoluminescent dosimeters. The most energy-efficient intensity will be calculated by dividing the degree of polymerization by the energy used. They hope this research inspires further studies on applying hydrogels to medicine.
The Atomic Avengers plan to determine the optimal intensity of gamma rays for efficiently producing hydrogels from gelatin monomers. They will expose gelatin samples to different intensities of gamma rays produced by collisions of protons with helium nuclei at CERN and measure the degree of polymerization using gel permeation chromatography. The gamma ray intensity will be measured with thermoluminescent dosimeters. The most energy-efficient intensity will be calculated by dividing the degree of polymerization by the energy used. They hope this research inspires further studies on applying hydrogels to medicine.
The Atomic Avengers plan to determine the optimal intensity of gamma rays for efficiently producing hydrogels from gelatin monomers. They will expose gelatin samples to different intensities of gamma rays produced by collisions of protons with helium nuclei at CERN and measure the degree of polymerization using gel permeation chromatography. The gamma ray intensity will be measured with thermoluminescent dosimeters. The most energy-efficient intensity will be calculated by dividing the degree of polymerization by the energy used. They hope this research inspires further studies on applying hydrogels to medicine.
At what intensity are gamma rays most efficient at producing hydrogels
from gelatin monomers?
Jeonghyeon Park, Jinyoung Shin, Chris D’Arcy, Izyan Kazmi,
Theodore Abara, Yeongho Cho, Takao Saito
The Atomic Avengers
April 11, 2023
Introduction
Why we chose this topic
Hydrogels have uses in numerous fields, one of which includes the medicine industry. Its high compatibility with organic tissue and high water retention makes it ideal for uses in drug delivery, wound healing, and the production of artificial organs. Determining the optimal intensity of radiation needed to produce hydrogels would not only allow for lower production costs, but also allow for more efficient use of resources. Growing up in families rooted in the medical field, we were always intrigued by the ways innovative materials can revolutionize healthcare. Our personal journeys were marked by experiences with family members suffering from diseases such as cancer or injuries such as burns, where newer treatments and techniques have helped. In some cases, hydrogels directly played a role in their recovery, which propelled our curiosity and determination to explore the potential of hydrogels in improving medical treatments. Why we want to go to CERN and what we hope to take away As high school students, our understanding of particle physics and experience in conducting investigations is limited. We believe that Beamline for Schools is a great opportunity for us to conduct meaningful research in world-renowned facilities, inspiring and motivating our peers to take similar action. Overview and Background Information
Polymers have been a crucial discovery for mankind, constituting everything from organic materials such as cellulose to artificial ones such as rubber. These substances are composed of long molecular chains made up of smaller monomer subunits (7). Our proposal will be examining a polymer that has shown large potential in several fields: hydrogels. Hydrogels are three-dimensional, cross-linked polymer networks that resemble organic tissues, advantaged by their ability to store high quantities of water and biodegradability (1). Additionally, hydrogels are adaptable materials which can respond to their environment, often through volume changes caused by energy exchanges with their surroundings (8). These exchanges can be triggered by different stimuli, such as changes in light, temperature, pH, and bio-markers such as proteins and DNA (1) (4). The versatility of hydrogels grants them widespanning utility, ranging from regenerative medicine, where they are vital in controlled drug delivery systems and wound-healing bandages, to soft-robotics, where they can be implemented in sensors or actuators (4). Though there are various ways to produce hydrogels, the most efficient and straightforward method is radiation cross-linking, involving ionizing radiation, which includes high-energy electrons, gamma rays, and X-rays. This energy is absorbed by the targeted material, which breaks existing chemical bonds and forms free radicals (an ion with at least one unpaired valence electron) (2). These free radicals then gradually form connections with one another, creating a network from the different polymer chains (6). For our experiment, we aim to determine what intensity of gamma rays is most effective and energy efficient whilst sufficiently polymerizing gelatin monomers to form hydrogels. We picked gelatin for its relative affordability and attainability. Gelatin also has lower melting and boiling points, allowing easy testing in different environments. Furthermore, gelatin is biocompatible and therefore a viable option for synthesizing hydrogels (5). We selected gamma rays as their higher penetration capacity will allow us to observe greater polymerization, and because this method, when combined with other techniques, produces multifunctional hydrogels (8). These gamma rays would be formed by the collisions of high-energy protons, emitted by the accelerator, with helium gas nuclei. We chose helium as it is highly stable and thus not flammable (9). The collisions between the protons and nuclei form, among other things, unstable particles called pions that decay into gamma ray pairs (3). The collision byproducts will then be filtered through an aluminum plate, so that only gamma rays pass through (10). Experimental Setup
This experiment aims to investigate the correlation between the intensity of gamma rays and how effectively it can polymerize monomers to form hydrogels, all while considering the energy consumed. Thus, it is essential to find three values: the degree of polymerization of the hydrogel, the intensity of the gamma rays, and the energy used to create the specific intensities of gamma rays. The degree of polymerization of the hydrogel can be calculated by dividing the polymer’s molecular weight by the monomer’s molecular weight. As the monomer’s molecular weight is given, the polymer’s molecular weight must be determined. This will be done through Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC), which separates analytes based on size. This GPC will be used in conjunction with an refractive index (RI) detector. Through this, we can estimate the average polymer’s molecular weight, which then allows us to calculate the degree of polymerization. In this case, an increased degree of polymerization corresponds with a higher number of links formed within the polymer, which indicates the formation of a more stable hydrogel.
Figure 1: Diagram of the Gel Permeation Chromatography process
The intensity of the gamma rays will be measured using a thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD), which are crystalline materials with a dopant that traps charges. The amount of trapped charge will be determined by measuring the intensity of light emitted using a photomultiplier tube while the temperature of the crystal is raised. Since measuring the intensity of light using the thermoluminescent dosimeter cannot be done on the same gamma ray as that being used to crosslink the hydrogel, we need separate collisions with the same parameters: one for measuring the intensity of the gamma ray, and one for the polymerization. In this experiment, the TLD will be placed in front of the RI detector in order to find the intensity of the gamma ray. Lastly, the energy consumption for the gamma ray production will be measured using the lab’s internal software, such as CERN’s WebEnergy 2.0 tool.
Figure 2: Diagram of experimental setup
Finding the efficiency
Our aim is to find the most energy-efficient gamma ray intensity for polymerizing hydrogels. For each trial, this will be calculated by dividing the degree of polymerization by the amount of energy consumed in producing the gamma ray.
Planned Schedule Days 1-4: Finish experimental set-up and conduct trial runs, altering the experimental set-up as needed. Days 5-7: Conduct experiments at 3 different intensities, one for each day. Acknowledgements We would like to thank our high school Physics teachers, Mr. Onur and Mr. Lietz, for guiding us through this process. Works Cited
(1) Berger, Michael. “Hydrogels.” Nanotechnology, Nanowerk, 30 Aug. 2021,
(6) Lenfeld, Petr, et al. “Effect of Radiation Crosslinking and Surface Modification of Cellulose Fibers on Properties and Characterization of Biopolymer Composites.” Polymers, vol. 12, no. 12, Dec. 2020, p. 3006. PubMed Central, https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12123006.
(8) Yang, Jinyu, et al. “Recent Advances in Smart Hydrogels Prepared by Ionizing Radiation Technology for Biomedical Applications.” MDPI, Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 17 Oct. 2022, https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/14/20/4377.
(9) “Programs: Energy and Minerals: Helium: About Helium.” Bureau of Land Management, https://www.blm.gov/programs/energy-and-minerals/helium/about-helium.
(10) “Α, β, γ Penetration and Shielding.” α, β, γ Penetration and Shielding,
