Nanomaterial-based sensors for a real-time detection of radiation damage in space environment

In this work, the fabrication and properties of ultraviolet-sensing films based on hybrid nanomaterials, containing graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) as signal transducer and DNA as UV-sensitive element, are investigated. The sensor components are prepared by sonication-driven non-covalent assembly and are embedded in a polymer matrix for enhanced adhesion on several types of space-grade materials and structures. We show that these nanomaterial sensing films can be used to monitor the effects of UV radiation exposure in real time. Possible applications include monitoring the effects of solar UV radiation in space environment, especially the most energetic UV-C band, which adversely affects performance of spacecraft components and life of biological systems.