Exploring the mechanism for O2 capturing by innovative adsorbents for liquid argon purification.

• Grant number: 25/20807-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: October 01, 2025
• End date: September 30, 2029
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Elisabete Moreira Assaf
• Grantee: Anderson Santos Francelino
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 24/07128-7 - Advanced Instrumentation for large facilities in High Energy Physics: LAr purification and Photodetection for LBNF-DUNE, AP.ESP

Abstract

The use of liquefied noble gases as a target for neutrinos requires an extremely high purity of the liquids with respect to oxygen contamination (<100 ppt), since the presence of N2, O2 and water in residual concentration can result in a significant reduction of the efficiency of neutrino detection in a LArTPC. In these experiments, ultrapure liquid argon (LAr) is the preferred choice and, to achieve this degree of purity, gaseous and/or liquid argon is circulated through filters containing adsorbent materials to capture oxygen. (AU)