Opening the black box: imaging nanoparticle transport in porous media

Nanoparticles (NPs) are used daily but where do they end up? NPs are engineered for energy production and waste clean-up, or to act as substrate and delivery shuttles in products. Some NPs form as by-products, e.g., during fossil fuel burning. Many are toxic. Thus, it is critical we understand how NPs are transported in the environment to predict potential threats to humans and ecosystems. But to date NP transport is an unresolved topic because we cannot directly see them inside opaque objects with conventional methods.

We propose to develop novel in situ X-ray nanotomography (nCT) protocols to trace NP transport inside natural porous materials. If successful, we can directly see how NPs move and interactinside complex porous networks, which means we can pinpoint the exact processes that lead to NP deposition in specific locations. This knowledge can then be used to improve current NP transport models, for enhanced prediction of NP behaviour in industrial applications and our environment.