Battelle Memorial Institute

Martin Liezers

Orville T Farmer, Iii

Lance R Hubbard

Nicolas E Uhnak

Ryan I Sumner

April J Carman

Ruggedized luminescent nanoparticle tracers have luminescent nanoparticle cores coupled to a luminescent substrate. The substrate is a large-particle size phosphor, while the nanoparticles are photoluminescent quantum dots (QDs) whose emission spectra can be tuned based on their chemical composition, size, and fabrication (e.g., dopants). The QDs are encapsulated by a protective layer to form a nanoparticle core. The protective layer can shield the QDs from external environments that would otherwise damage the delicate QDs. The substrate is also encapsulated by a protective layer, and the protective layer of the nanoparticle core is coupled to the protective layer of the substrate via a molecular linker to form a tracer particle complex. The tracer particle complexes can be disposed in a silicate suspension for subsequent use.

Luminescent nanoparticle tracers, and systems and methods for fabrication and use thereof

A system and process are disclosed for dissolution of solids and 'difficult-to-dissolve' solids. A solid sample may be ablated in an ablation device to generate nanoscale particles. Nanoparticles may then swept into a coupled plasma device operating at atmospheric pressure where the solid nanoparticles are atomized. The plasma exhaust may be delivered directly into an aqueous fluid to form a solution containing the atomized and dissolved solids. The composition of the resulting solution reflects the composition of the original solid sample.

System and process for dissolution of solids

A system and process are disclosed for ultrasensitive determination of target isotopes of analytical interest in a sample. Target isotopes may be implanted in an implant area on a high-purity substrate to pre-concentrate the target isotopes free of contaminants. A known quantity of a tracer isotope may also be implanted. Target isotopes and tracer isotopes may be determined in a mass spectrometer. The present invention provides ultrasensitive determination of target isotopes in the sample.

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Richland, WA, United States of America

Martin Liezers