When accelerated neutrons or ions bombard a material, its surface layer undergoes dramatic physical and chemical transformations. The National Center for Nuclear Research in Swierk, Poland, has managed to learn in detail about the processes occurring in such situations in polymers. The collected knowledge was used by physicists to create a method of producing super-sealings, they also proposed a simple and quick way to detect dangerous cables whose polymer insulation begins to lose their insulating properties.
Click here for original story, From super-sealings to the detection of dangerous cables thanks to ion beams
Source: Phys.org