Self-assembled directionally solidified eutectics for thermal neutron detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11474264-B2
Application number	US-202117187412-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2021
Priority date	Feb 27, 2020
Publication date	Oct 18, 2022
Grant date	Oct 18, 2022

Abstract

Eutectic lithium chloride-cerium chloride (LiCl—CeCl3) compositions are described. An exemplary eutectic composition has about 75 mole % LiCl and about 25 mole % CeCl3. The eutectic compositions can have optical and/or scintillation properties. Also described are methods of preparing the eutectic compositions as well as methods of using radiation detectors including the eutectic compositions in the detection of radiation, including thermal neutrons.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical material comprising a eutectic lithium chloride-cerium chloride (LiCl—CeCl 3 ) composition.

2. The optical material of claim 1 , wherein the eutectic LiCl—CeCl 3 composition comprises about 75 mole % LiCl and about 25 mole % CeCl 3 .

3. The optical material of claim 1 , wherein the eutectic LiCl—CeCl 3 composition comprises a naturally occurring ratio of lithium isotopes.

4. The optical material of claim 1 , wherein the eutectic LiCl—CeCl 3 composition comprises isotopically enriched lithium, wherein the isotopically enriched lithium is lithium-6 ( 6 Li).

5. The optical material of claim 1 , wherein the eutectic LiCl—CeCl 3 composition has a lamellar structure.

6. The optical material of claim 5 , wherein phase thicknesses of LiCl and CeCl 3 phases in the eutectic LiCl—CeCl 3 composition are about 10 millimeters (mm) or less.

7. The optical material of claim 1 , wherein the eutectic LiCl—CeCl 3 composition is prepared by the Bridgman method.

8. The optical material of claim 7 , wherein the LiCl—CeCl 3 composition is prepared using a pulling rate of about 2 millimeters per hour (mm/hr) to about 8 mm/hr.

9. A radiation detector comprising a photon detector and an optical material of claim 1 .

10. The radiation detector of claim 9 , wherein the radiation detector is a medical diagnostic device, a device for oil exploration, or a device for container or baggage scanning.

11. A method of detecting gamma rays, X-rays, cosmic rays and/or particles having an energy of 1 keV or greater, the method comprising using the radiation detector of claim 9 .

12. A method of detecting neutrons, the method comprising using the radiation detector of claim 9 , optionally wherein the method of detecting neutrons comprises detecting thermal neutrons.

13. A method of preparing an optical material of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises:
(a) providing a mixture of CeCl 3 and LiCl;
(b) sealing the mixture in a sealed container;
(c) heating the container in a furnace to a temperature where the mixture forms a melt; and
(d) slowly cooling the sealed container.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the mixture of step (a) comprises about 25 mole % CeCl 3 and about 75 mole % LiCl.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein slowly cooling the sealed container comprises pulling the sealed container through a furnace having a temperature gradient.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the temperature gradient is about 40° C. per centimeter.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the pulling is performed at a rate of about 2 millimeters per hour (mm/hr) to about 8 mm/hr.

Assignees

• Univ Tennessee Res Found

Inventors

• Zhuravleva Mariya
• Wu Yuntao
• Melcher Charles L

Classifications

• C09K11/772

  with alkali or alkaline earth metals · CPC title

• C09K11/616

  with alkali or alkaline earth metals · CPC title

• G01T1/2023 Primary

  Selection of materials · CPC title

• G01T3/065

  Spectrometry · CPC title

• C30B29/12

  Halides · CPC title