Hackmanite, a mineral that is extensively studied and developed at the University of Turku, will be taken to the International Space Station as part of a new research project between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the University of Turku. The study will investigate whether hackmanite can be used as a radiation detector for different materials in space.
Jovana V. Milić, starting as an Associate Professor at the Department of Chemistry of the University of Turku, has received esteemed research funding from the European Research Council (ERC). Milić received the funding for a project that aims to develop a new generation of smart and environmentally friendly materials, such as for more effective use of solar energy in photovoltaics and brain-inspired computing.
The funding supports cross-disciplinary research in the University’s three profiling areas that focus on immune mediated diseases, the evolution of human diversity, and the design of sustainable materials.
A research group headed by senior researcher Jianwei Li at the MediCity Research Laboratory has explored a new type of materials called supramolecular plastics that would substitute the conventional polymeric plastics with an eco-friendlier material promoting sustainable development. The mechanical properties of the supramolecular plastic created by the researchers using liquid-liquid phase separation were comparable to conventional polymers, but the new plastic decomposes much more easily and would be easier to reuse.
While investigating hackmanite, a natural wonder material, researchers found that it, in addition to two other minerals, can change their colour upon exposure to UV radiation repeatedly without wearing out. The results show that the inexpensive hackmanite, which is easy to synthesise, is also an excellent material because of its high durability and applicability for different purposes.
Researchers from the University of Turku are developing a new hackmanite-based dosimeter and passive detectors for the International Space Station, intended to be used to measure the radiation dose uptake of materials during space flights. The year-long research project is funded by the European Space Agency, ESA.