Advanced nanocomposite scintillator for gamma radiation detection

Gamma radiation detection has traditionally required single crystal materials that are difficult to produce consistently on an industrial scale. Agiltron has developed a new class of scintillator materials based on composites containing nanoparticles. These so-called nanocomposites exhibit radiation detection characteristics superior to currently available single crystal scintillators. In Phase I we successfully demonstrated the proof-of-principle of our nanocomposite scintillator and completed its design, synthesis, and testing. We demonstrated that this new composite has superior detection characteristics to that of current single crystal scintillators in terms of detection efficiency, response time and proportionality. In Phase II we plan to optimize the fabrication process by modifying the make-up of the nanoparticle and matrix materials. These improved nanocomposites will all but eliminate light scattering by large particles, thereby yielding transparency even when scaled to large volumes. Manufacturing of our new nanocomposites will be scalable and cost-effective and the improved materials will be robust in harsh environments. Lastly, we will design a larger scale fabrication process and develop a plan for commercial manufacturing of this new generation of scintillator material with our industrial partner.