Plastic scintillators with high loading of one or more metal carboxylates

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9447318-B2
Application number	US-201514945112-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 18, 2015
Priority date	Oct 10, 2014
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a method includes incorporating a metal carboxylate complex into a polymeric matrix to form an optically transparent material. According to another embodiment, a material includes at least one metal carboxylate complex incorporated into a polymeric matrix, where the material is optically transparent.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
incorporating a metal carboxylate complex into a polymeric matrix to form an optically transparent material; and
wherein the metal carboxylate complex comprises a metal and at least one carboxylate ligand comprising a tertiary butyl group.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the carboxylate ligand comprising the tertiary butyl group includes pivalate.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the metal comprises bismuth.

4. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the metal comprises lithium.

5. The method as recited in claim 2 , further comprising forming the metal carboxylate complex, wherein forming the metal carboxylate complex includes combining pivalic acid with a precursor compound comprising the metal.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the metal carboxylate complex is chemically incorporated into the polymeric matrix.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein incorporating the metal carboxylate complex into the polymeric matrix includes at least one of:
copolymerization, and crosslinking.

8. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the optically transparent material comprises at least one of: a polymerization initiator and a cross-linker.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the polymeric matrix comprises at least one of: poly-styrene, poly-vinyltoluene, poly-vinyltriphenylamine, poly(ethylene-2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylate), poly(ethylene terephthalate), polymethylmethacrylate, functionalized polymethacrylate, methacrylic acid and poly-9-vinylcarbazole.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising dispersing at least one fluor in the material, the fluor having an emission rating of greater than about 3,000 photons/MeV.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the fluor includes at least one of: an organometallic fluor, and an organic fluor.

12. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the material exhibits an optical response signature for at least one of: thermal neutrons, fast neutrons and gamma rays.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 , further comprising applying a coating to at least one surface of the material, the coating being configured to exhibit an optical response signature for thermal neutrons.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the coating comprises a phosphor combined with at least one of: 6 Li, 10 B, Cd and Gd.

15. A material, comprising:
at least one metal carboxylate complex incorporated into a polymeric matrix, wherein the metal carboxylate complex comprises a metal and at least one carboxylate ligand comprising a tertiary butyl group; and
wherein the material is optically transparent.

16. A scintillator, comprising:
the material as recited in claim 15 , wherein the scintillator exhibits an optical response signature for at least one of: thermal neutrons, fast neutrons and gamma rays.

17. The scintillator as recited in claim 16 , wherein at least one surface of the scintillator is coated with a coating configured to exhibit an optical response signature for thermal neutrons, wherein the coating comprises a phosphor combined with at least one of 6 Li, 10 B, Cd and Gd.

18. A scintillator radiation detector system, comprising:
the scintillator as recited in claim 15 ; and
a processing device configured to process pulse traces corresponding to light pulses from the scintillator.

Assignees

• L Livermore Nat Security Llc

Inventors

• Cherepy Nerine
• Sanner Robert Dean

Classifications

• G01T1/203

  the detector being made of plastics · CPC title

• G01T1/20

  with scintillation detectors · CPC title

• G01T3/06

  with scintillation detectors · CPC title

• C09K2211/188

  of other metals not provided for in one of the previous groups · CPC title

• C09K11/06 Primary

  containing organic luminescent materials · CPC title