Seminar on the commercialization of radiation technologies, Lvov, Ukraine, 13-14 May 2009

CNCP regularly organizes thematic seminars on technologies which offer the best opportunities for commercial exploitation by nuclear institutes. The first seminar in this series (Moscow 2007) was dedicated to energy efficiency, as a promising field for services and technologies. The theme of the second seminar (Almaty 2008) was the commercial production of isotopes. This year, from 13 to 14 May in Lvov (Ukraine), a seminar was held in conjunction with KIPT on commercial opportunities in the field of radiation treatment of materials and manufactured products.

Some 50 individuals took part in the event, including the representatives of the nuclear centres in Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan, together with specialists from Great Britain and the USA.

Each session covered a particular aspect of the application of radiation technologies and opened with an overview by a Western specialist, after which the representatives of the institutes and companies reported on their practical experience in the area concerned.

The following themes were discussed: radiation cross-linking of polymers; the sterilization of medical items, food products and packaging; the embellishment of precious stones; the doping of semi-conductors, thinlayer activation, and the production of membranes. Various aspects of the radiation cross-linking of polymers from the history of the development of the technology to the characteristics of the equipment employed and possible areas of commercial application were set out in a presentation by the American specialist David Vroom.

Representatives of the Park of Nuclear Technologies (Kurchatov, Kazakstan), the Sosni Institute (Minsk, Belarus) KIPT (Kharkov, Ukraine), INP (Almaty, Kazakhstan) and YerPhI (Yerevan, Armenia) described actual and prospective opportunities for exploiting their radiation facilities, their current and planned projects and the problems they faced in commercialization.

The General Director of the Mayak company, Dmitry Alyavdin (CNCP project, Ozersk, Russia), presented a practical example of the establishment of a business based on radiation treatment. Other projects discussed involving the exploitation of ionizing radiation were the production of hydrogel clinical dressings (INP, Almaty); the use of radiation-modified materials for the production of face masks (INP, Tashkent); radiation silicon doping (SNUNEI, Sevastopol, Ukraine); and the enhancement of precious stones (INP, Òàshkent).

Drawing on his practical experience, CNCP radiation technologies expert Steve Sugden, spoke about difficulties which can arise on the path to large scale commercial activities involving innovations in the field of radiation processing.

The presentation by Mark Bailey covered the radiation sterilization of medical products and equipment. He stressed that particular attention had to be paid to defining the specifications for irradiating each specific type of object, to methods of controlling for the irradiation process, and to sterilization standards.

The Sosny Institute (Minsk) had developed experience in the sterilization of medical equipment and preparations, ginseng, licorice, nettles and other vegetable substances using two complementary facilities: a powerful universal gamma radiation source and an electron accelerator.

The experience of INP Tashkent covered the radiation treatment of manufactured products, agricultural materials and products, and also the sterilisation of medical items and pharmaceutical preparations.

In conclusion, Steve Sugden outlined his impressions based on his visits to nuclear centres, which are participating in the CNCP Programme, and gave his assessment of their opportunities for commercial partnerships with Western companies in the commercial application of radiation technologies.

Ilya Gashenko, CNCP Project Manager