New Plastic Scintillators For Gamma Spectroscopy, Neutron Detection And Imaging

We are working on scale up of several new plastic scintillator compositions. One composition uses Iridium complex fluors to obtain up to 3x higher light yields and high alpha/beta ratios, for improved particle (alpha, neutron, fission product) detection and imaging. Other compositions include high loading of Bismuth for gamma spectroscopy and with Lithium for neutron detection. Plastics containing 21 wt% elemental Bismuth and an Ir fluor provide strong photopeaks and R(662 keV) similar to 9%. When activated with standard organic tluors, 10 in(3) plastic scintillators containing 8 wt% Bismuth provide a strong photopeak with R(662 keV)similar to 19%. A 5 in(3) plastic formulation including 1 wt% Lithium-6 provides a neutron capture peak at 350 keVee, with 11% resolution for the capture peak.