Nanomaterials could reveal the origin of the heaviest materials in the universe.

A multidisciplinary scientific team has conducted a pioneering experiment in measuring nuclear reactions using nanomaterials, revealing new insights into the origin of the heaviest elements in the Universe.

The research group was composed of researchers from the University of Surrey, the University of York, Canada's National Centre for Particle Acceleration, Triumf, and the Institute of Materials Science of Seville (ICMS), a joint center of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the University of Seville (US).

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The study has pioneered the use of nanomaterials to study nuclear reactions with radioactive nuclei, such as those produced in the collision of neutron stars. These reactions result in the formation of heavy elements in a process known as r-nucleosynthesis.

As reported last Thursday by the CSIC in a statement, the elements of the Universe are the result of extreme conditions, and reproducing them poses an obstacle to progress toward a complete understanding of the formation process.

The experiment was made possible by the use of novel "helium targets," a nonreactive, nonsolid, noble gas. The researchers developed an innovative nanomaterial that incorporates helium into ultrathin silicon films to form billions of microscopic helium bubbles.

These targets pack more helium into a smaller space than any traditional method, increasing the likelihood that an incoming strontium-94 nucleus will fuse with helium.

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Experimentally produced strontium-helium fusion reactions are thought to occur within fast-moving winds of material ejected by merging neutron stars or supernovae—massive exploding stars— giving researchers a deep understanding of the reaction conditions.

"This study opens the door to new opportunities to measure similar reactions in the future, contributing to a clearer understanding of the formation of heavy elements and the role of neutron star mergers," said Asunción Fernández, a researcher at the Institute of Materials Science of Seville (ICMS).

AO