Utilising Blockchain Technology for Secure Data Sharing in Physical Science Research

Abstract

The rapid advancement of computational capabilities and digital instrumentation in physical sciences has led to unprecedented volumes of sensitive research data requiring secure sharing mechanisms. This study investigates the implementation of blockchain technology as a distributed ledger solution for enhancing data security, provenance, and collaboration in physical science research environments. Through a comprehensive review of existing literature and analysis of blockchain frameworks, we examine how decentralised architectures can address critical challenges in scientific data management, including data integrity, access control, and collaborative research governance. Our research reveals that blockchain-based systems can provide up to 17-fold improvements in encryption speed while maintaining cryptographic security standards essential for protecting sensitive research data. The findings suggest that permissioned blockchain networks, when properly implemented with robust consensus mechanisms, offer significant advantages over traditional centralised data management systems. This paper proposes a framework for integrating blockchain technology into physical science research workflows, addressing implementation challenges and providing recommendations for future adoption in academic and research institutions.