Industrial Applications of Positron Techniques

MARPOS—Marmara Positron Laboratory—provides advanced materials characterization services for industrial R&D, product development, and quality control using the following state-of-the-art techniques:

• • Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy (PALS)

  • Doppler Broadening Spectroscopy (DBS)

  • Variable Energy Positron Beam (VEPOS)

These methods deliver unique atomic-scale information on defects, vacancies, nanoporosity, free volume, and interface properties that cannot be directly accessed by conventional characterization techniques.

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1. Glass & Advanced Ceramics Industry

Application Areas

• • Optical and specialty glasses

  • Technical and structural ceramics

  • Bio-glasses and dielectric ceramics

Why Positron Techniques?

• • Performance of glass and ceramics is strongly governed by nano-porosity and vacancy-type defects

  • Sintering and thermal treatments induce atomic-scale structural rearrangements

  • Conventional porosity methods lack sensitivity to nano-scale voids

Services Offered

• • Nano-porosity and free volume analysis

  • Vacancy and defect identification

  • Sintering and densification optimization

  • Structural aging and lifetime prediction

  • Fracture and failure analysis

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2. Polymer & Plastics Industry

Application Areas

• • Engineering plastics and composites

  • Packaging polymers

  • Polymer electrolytes and membranes

Why Positron Techniques?

• • The key parameter governing polymer properties is free volume

  • Diffusion, permeability, mechanical strength, and ionic conductivity depend directly on free volume

  • PALS is the only technique capable of directly measuring sub-nanometer free volume holes in polymers

Services Offered

• • Free volume size and distribution (PALS)

  • Correlation with diffusion, permeability, and conductivity

  • Evaluation of plasticizer, filler, and cross-linking effects

  • Aging and radiation damage studies

  • Process and formulation optimization

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3. Paints, Coatings & Surface Technologies

Application Areas

• • Protective and anti-corrosion coatings

  • Barrier layers

  • Functional and multilayer thin films

Why Positron Techniques?

• • Coating failures often originate from nano-scale pores and interface defects

  • VEP enables depth-resolved defect profiling across coating thickness

  • Moisture and gas diffusion are directly linked to nano-porosity

Services Offered

• • Depth-resolved defect and porosity profiling

  • Coating integrity and adhesion assessment

  • Diffusion and moisture transport analysis

  • Corrosion and degradation studies

  • Coating lifetime and performance evaluation

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4. Semiconductor & Microelectronics

Application Areas

• • Silicon and compound semiconductors

  • Thin films, oxides, and dielectrics

  • Integrated circuits and MEMS

Why Positron Techniques?

• • Device performance is governed by vacancies and defect complexes

  • Positrons are sensitive even to electrically inactive defects

  • VEPOS enables non-destructive characterization of surfaces and interfaces

Services Offered

• • Sub-surface vacancy and defect profiling

  • Interface and multilayer structure analysis

  • Radiation damage assessment

  • Failure analysis and yield optimization

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5. Biomedical Materials & Implants

Application Areas

• • Hydroxyapatite and bioceramics

  • Metallic implants and coatings

  • Biomedical polymers

Why Positron Techniques?

• • Biocompatibility and mechanical performance depend on micro- and nano-porosity

  • Free volume influences cell adhesion and degradation behavior

  • Positron techniques provide non-destructive analysis

Services Offered

• • Porosity and free volume characterization

  • Defect–mechanical property correlation

  • Degradation analysis in physiological environments

  • Reliability and lifetime assessment

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6. Battery & Energy Storage

Application Areas

• • Lithium-ion batteries

  • Solid and polymer electrolytes

  • Cathode, anode, and separator materials

Why Positron Techniques?

• • Ion transport is governed by free volume and vacancy structure

  • Atomic-scale damage develops during charge–discharge cycling

  • Positron techniques reveal degradation mechanisms at early stages

Services Offered

• • Vacancy and free volume mapping

  • Ionic transport optimization

  • Interface stability and degradation analysis

  • Cycling-induced damage and safety studies

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7. Tire, Rubber & Elastomer Industry

Application Areas

• • Natural and synthetic rubbers

  • Elastomer composites

  • Sealing and vibration-damping materials

Why Positron Techniques?

• • Elastic behavior and fatigue resistance depend on free volume and cross-link density

  • Gas and chemical diffusion are controlled by free volume

  • PALS provides direct insight into elastomer microstructure

Services Offered

• • Free volume and cross-link density analysis

  • Fatigue and durability evaluation

  • Aging and environmental degradation studies

  • Formulation optimization

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8. Textile Technologies

Application Areas

• • Technical and functional textiles

  • Polymer-based fibers

  • Coated, smart, and medical textiles

Why Positron Techniques?

• • Free volume within fibers determines strength, flexibility, and comfort

  • Fiber-coating interfaces directly affect performance

  • Washing and aging alter textile microstructure

Services Offered

• • Free volume analysis in fibers and fabrics

  • Defect profiling in coated textiles

  • Correlation with moisture and gas permeability

  • Aging and service lifetime analysis

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Additional Strategic Sectors

9. ✈️ Aerospace & Space Materials

Why? Radiation exposure, aging, and extreme reliability requirements

• Radiation damage and lifetime assessment

10. ⚛️ Nuclear Materials

Why? Irradiation-induced vacancy and void evolution

• Swelling, embrittlement, and lifetime evaluation

11. Hydrogen Storage & Energy Systems

Why? Control of diffusion pathways and nano-porosity

• Storage performance and interface stability

12. Construction & Building Materials

Why? Micro-porosity governs long-term durability

• Long-term aging and reliability analysis

13. Membranes & Filtration Technologies

Why? Separation performance is controlled by free volume

• Permeability and aging evaluation

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Why MARPOS?

✔ Unique atomic-scale insight
✔ Fully non-destructive analysis
✔ Direct contribution to industrial R&D
✔ Improved performance, lifetime, and reliability