The United Kingdom’s Centre for Defence Enterprise (CDE) has announced a call for research proposals towards advancing generation-after-next chemical, biological and radiological (CBR) hazard mitigation systems (HM). The CDE seeks proof-of-concept or demonstration-of-benefit studies, or a theoretical or experimental approach that allows a better understanding of the phenomena that underpin hazard mitigation.
HM systems deal with the consequences of a release of chemical, biological or radiological materials, which can be liquid drops or solid particulates. HM systems locate, monitor, contain, remove, neutralize and verify the absence of residual hazards. These activities could be conducted on small items of equipment (including fragile opto-electronics), vehicles (land, sea and air) and buildings and infrastructure.
Current-generation HM systems employ: liquid decontaminant sprays (with sufficient solvency and reactivity to aid removal and neutralisation of contaminants); peelable, absorbent coatings and absorbent powders (to contain contamination and assist removal); vapor detectors and color-change detector papers (to monitor and verify HM measures, as opposed to initial detection of an event).
Generation-after next systems would be expected to move HM towards more self-decontaminating and indicating surfaces to reduce the level of materials and manpower required to deploy HM systems. Such research areas include, but are not limited to: development of neutralization chemistries; new strategies for agent containment; responsive materials that employ molecular recognition to trigger a response to contamination; mathematical modeling; synthesis, stabilization or scale-up of beneficial materials; advances in spectroscopy, electrochemistry or other analytical techniques; directed-energy approaches; and effluent or solid-waste management. Ideas will be welcomed from a broad spectrum of science.
The call for proposals will open with a launch seminar in Harwell, Oxfordshire on July 24, 2012. Registration details and further information on the opportunity are available here. Companies and organizations from outside the UK are encouraged to respond. The proposal deadline is September 6, 2012.