Emergence of a Lanthanide Chalcogenide as an Ideal Scintillator for a Flexible X-ray Detector

The development of high-performance X-ray detectors requires scintillators with fast decay time, high light yield, stability, and X-ray absorption capacity, which are difficult to achieve in a single material. Here, we present the first example of a lanthanide chalcogenide of LaCsSiS₄ : 1 % Ce³⁺ that simultaneously integrates multiple desirable properties for an ideal scintillator. LaCsSiS₄ : 1 % Ce³⁺ demonstrates a remarkably low detection limit of 43.13 nGy_air s⁻¹ and a high photoluminescence quantum yield of 98.24 %, resulting in a high light yield of 50480±1441 photons/MeV. Notably, LaCsSiS₄ : 1 % Ce³⁺ exhibits a fast decay time of only 29.35±0.16 ns, making it one of the fastest scintillators among all lanthanide-based inorganic scintillators. Furthermore, this material shows robust radiation and moisture resistance, endowing it with suitability for chemical processing under solution conditions. To demonstrate the X-ray imaging capacity of LaCsSiS₄ : 1 % Ce³⁺, we fabricated a flexible X-ray detector that achieved a high spatial resolution of 8.2 lp mm⁻¹. This work highlights the potential of lanthanide chalcogenide as a promising candidate for high-performance scintillators.     

水热法制备ZnS∶Cu,Al纳米X射线发光粉及其光谱特性

采用水热法低温(200 ℃)处理12 h直接制备ZnS∶Cu, Al纳米晶, 并探讨其光致(PL)和X射线激发(XEL)光谱特性及后续退火处理的影响. XRD和TEM分析表明, 水热法直接制备的ZnS∶Cu, Al粒径约为15 nm, 尺寸分布窄, 分散性好, 具有纯立方相的球形结构. 其PL和XEL光谱均为宽带谱, n(Cu)/n(Zn)=3×10^-4和n(Cu)/n(Al)= 0.5时PL和XEL光谱强度最大, XEL峰值在470 nm处. 在此条件下, 水热处理3 h直接合成的纳米晶在氩气保护下于800 ℃退火1 h后样品的XEL发光进一步增强. XEL光谱强度约是退火前样品的8倍, 此时峰值波长在520 nm, 团聚形成径为200～500 nm的类球形六方相结构. 发光强度增强, 但粒径很小, 对提高成像系统分辨率非常有意义. 通过比较样品的XEL和PL光谱, 讨论了XEL和PL光谱的发光机理和激发机制及退火对其特性的影响.     

Pseudo-2D Layered Organic-Inorganic Manganese Bromide with a Near-Unity Photoluminescence Quantum Yield for White Light-Emitting Diode and X-Ray Scintillator

Eco-friendly lead-free organic–inorganic manganese halides (OIMHs) have attracted considerable attention in various optoelectronic applications because of their superior optical properties and flexible solution processibility. Herein, we report a novel pseudo-2D layered OIMH (MTP)₂MnBr₄ (MTP: methyltriphenylphosphonium), which exhibits intense green emission under UV/blue or X-ray excitation, with a near-unity photoluminescence quantum yield, high resistance to thermal quenching (I_{150 °C}=84.1 %) and good photochemical stability. These features enable (MTP)₂MnBr₄ as an efficient green phosphor for blue-converted white light-emitting diodes, demonstrating a commercial-level luminous efficiency of 101 lm W⁻¹ and a wide color gamut of 116 % NTSC. Moreover, these (MTP)₂MnBr₄ crystals showcase outstanding X-ray scintillation properties, delivering a light yield of 67000 photon MeV⁻¹, a detection limit of 82.4 nGy s⁻¹, and a competitive spatial resolution of 6.2 lp mm⁻¹ for X-ray imaging. This work presents a new avenue for the exploration of eco-friendly luminescent OIMHs towards multifunctional light-emitting applications.     

Perovskite Films Regulation via Hydrogen-Bonded Polymer Network for Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are considered as a promising photovoltaic technology due to their high efficiency and low cost. However, their long-term stability, mechanical durability, and environmental risks are still unable to meet practical needs. To overcome these issues, we designed a multifunctional elastomer with abundant hydrogen bonds and carbonyl groups. The chemical bonding between polymer and perovskite could increase the growth activation energy of perovskite film and promote the preferential growth of high-quality perovskite film. Owing to the low defect density and gradient energy-level alignment, the corresponding device exhibited a champion efficiency of 23.10 %. Furthermore, due to the formation of the hydrogen-bonded polymer network in the perovskite film, the target devices demonstrated excellent air stability and enhanced flexibility for the flexible PSCs. More importantly, the polymer network could coordinate with Pb²⁺ ions, immobilizing lead atoms to reduce their release into the environment. This strategy paves the way for the industrialization of high-performance flexible PSCs.     

Perovskite Scintillators for Improved X-ray Detection and Imaging

Halide perovskites (HPs) recently have emerged as one class of competitive scintillators for X-ray detection and imaging owing to its high quantum efficiency, short decay time, superior X-ray absorption capacity, low cost, and ease of crystal growth. The tunable structure and versatile chemical compositions of halide perovskites provide distinguishable advantages over traditional inorganic scintillators for optimizing scintillation performance. Since the first observation of the scintillation phenomenon in HPs, substantial efforts have been devoted to expanding the inventory of HP scintillators and regulating material properties. Understanding the relationship between the structure and scintillation properties of HP scintillators is essential for developing materials with improved X-ray detection and imaging capacities. This review summarizes strategies for improving the light yield of HP scintillators and provides a roadmap for improving the X-ray imaging performance. Additionally, methods for controlling the light propagation direction in HP scintillators are highlighted for improving X-ray imaging resolution. Finally, we highlight the current challenge in HP scintillators and provide a perspective on the future development of this emerging scintillator.     

Hydrothermal synthesis and luminescence of CaMO4:RE (M=W, Mo; RE=Eu, Tb) submicro-phosphors

Submicrometer crystalline CaMO₄:RE³⁺ (M=W, Mo; RE=Eu, Tb) phosphors with a sheelite structure have been synthesized via the hydrothermal process, which were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray-excited luminescence (XEL), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra (UV-vis DRS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. The XRD patterns show that both CaWO₄ and CaMoO₄ have the same structure with space group I41/a. The SEM images indicate that the optimal hydrothermal temperature is 120 °C for the particles that aggregate with the increase of temperature. The bands ranging from 380 to 510 nm in the XEL spectra of CaWO₄:Eu³⁺ can be attributed to the charge transfer state from the excited 2p orbits of O²⁻ to the empty orbits of the central W⁶⁺ of the tungstate groups. The comparison between photoluminescent lifetimes and quantum efficiencies of the two phosphors was also investigated in detail.     

Graphene-Like Carbon Derived from Macadamia Nut Shells for High-Performance Supercapacitor

The graphene-like carbon was obtained from macadamia nut shells by an activated hydrothermal method and applied for high-performance supercapacitors. The morphologies and microstructures are investigated by X-ray diffractometer, Raman spectrometer, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The experimental results show that the obtained carbon exhibits perfect graphene-like structure filled with more micropores and mesopores. The graphene-like carbon displays high surface areas of 1057 m² g^?1. The graphene-like carbon delivers an impressive specific capacitance of 251 F g^?1 and has no capacitance loss at the current density of 1 A g^?1 after 1000 cycles, which demonstrates the excellent cycle stability and high specific capacitance. The graphene-like carbon derived from macadamia nut shells can be expected for the widespread application of supercapacitors.

     

含二氦杂萘酮结构全芳香杂环聚合物的研究进展

高性能高分子材料在高温下仍保持优异的综合性能,是航空航天、电子电气、高速轨道交通等重要高技术领域不可或缺的材料。在不牺牲耐热性能的前提下改善高性能聚合物的加工性能一直是国内外研究的热点。含二氮杂萘酮结构高性能聚合物是高性能高分子材料的新成员。本文主要综述了含二氮杂萘酮结构的聚芳醚（包括聚芳醚砜酮系列、聚芳醚腈砜酮系列、...     

Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method for determination of fulvestrant in rat plasma and its application to pharmacokinetic studies of a novel fulvestrant microcrystal

Fulvestrant (‘Faslodex’), an estrogen receptor antagonist, is available for the treatment of advanced breast cancer. The oil-based vehicle of Faslodex can lead to various adverse effects. A novel fulvestrant microcrystal (aqueous suspension) was developed in this study to eliminate these adverse effects. A sensitive and robust liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the determination of fulvestrant in rat plasma using supported-liquid extraction. The separation of fulvestrant was achieved on an Agilent SB-C₁₈ column (2.1 × 50 mm, 3.5 μm) with isocratic elution using fulvestrant-d3 as internal standard. Mass spectrometric detection was conducted in negative multiple reaction monitoring mode. Ion transitions were at m/z 605.5 → 427.5 for fulvestrant and m/z 608.5 → 430.5 for fulvestrant-d3. The excellent linearity was demonstrated over the range 0.05–100.0 ng/ml (r² = 0.99). The lower limit of quantitation was 0.05 ng/ml, which was superior to that reported in literature The method validation was evaluated by selectivity, accuracy, precision, recovery and matrix effect in agreement with the US Food and Drug Administration guidance. The method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of a novel fulvestrant microcrystal in rats after intramuscular administration. It revealed that the rate of absorption increases and the extent of absorption is constant with a decrease in microcrystal diameter.     

径向生长的具有分级结构的四氧化三钴微晶及其在气体传感上的应用

通过在水热合成后追加退火处理,制备了径向生长的具有分级结构的树枝状三维Co3O4晶体,并用X射线衍射仪、扫描电子显微镜和透射电子显微镜对其结构和形貌进行了表征. 在110 oC对其气体探测性能的研究表明这种Co3O4分级结构对氨气有较高的探测灵敏度和响应速度（10 s）,性能稳定并具有可重复性. 同时,还在较低的探测温度下对酒精、丙酮和苯进行了气敏探测.     

Radiochromic Hydrogen-Bonded Organic Frameworks for X-ray Detection

Porous materials have been investigated as efficient photochromic platforms for detecting hazardous radiation, while the utilization of hydrogen bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) in this field has remained intact. Herein, two HOFs were synthesized through self-assembly of tetratopic viologen ligand and formic acid (PFC-25, PFC-26), as a new class of “all-organic” radiochromic smart material, opening a gate for HOFs in this field. PFC-26 is active upon both X-ray and UV irradiation, while PFC-25 is only active upon X-ray irradiation. The same building block yet different radiochromic behaviors of PFC-25 and PFC-26 allow us to gain a deep mechanistic understanding of the factors that control the detection specificity. Theoretical and experimental studies reveal that the degree of π-conjugation of viologen ligand is highly related to the threshold energy of triggering a charge transfer, therefore being a vital factor for the particularity of radiochromic materials. Thanks to its convenient processibility, nanoparticle size, and UV silence, PFC-25 can be further fabricated into a portable naked-eye sensor for X-ray detection, which shows obvious color change with the merits of high transmittance contrast, good sensitivity (reproducible dose threshold of 3.5 Gy), and excellent stability. The work exhibits the promising practical potentials of HOF materials in photochromic technology.     

Kirkendall-effect-based growth of dendrite-shaped CuO hollow micro/nanostructures for lithium-ion battery anodes

Three-dimensional (3D) dendrite-shaped CuO hollow micro/nanostructures have been prepared via a Kirkendall-effect-based approach for the first time and have been demonstrated as a high-performance anode material for lithium-ion batteries. The as-prepared hollow structures were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and electrochemical properties. A CuO hollow structure composed of nanocubes outside and a dense film inside was selected as a typical example of the optimized design; it exhibited significantly improved cyclability at a current rate of 0.5 C, with the average Coulombic efficiency of ∼97.0% and 57.9% retention of the discharge capacity of the second cycle after 50 cycles. The correlation between the structure features of the hollow CuO and their electrochemical behavior was discussed in detail. Smaller size of primary structure and larger internal space of electrode materials are crucial to better electrochemical performance. This work represents that Kirkendall effect is a promising method to fabricate excellent hollow electrode materials for Li-ion batteries.     

Transformation of Rusty Stainless-Steel Meshes into Stable,Low-Cost,and Binder-Free Cathodes for High-Performance Potassium-Ion Batteries

To recycle rusty stainless-steel meshes (RSSM) and meet the urgent requirement of developing high-performance cathodes for potassium-ion batteries (KIB), we demonstrate a new strategy to fabricate flexible binder-free KIB electrodes via transformation of the corrosion layer of RSSM into compact stack-layers of Prussian blue (PB) nanocubes (PB@SSM). When further coated with reduced graphite oxide (RGO) to enhance electric conductivity and structural stability, the low-cost, stable, and binder-free RGO@PB@SSM cathode exhibits excellent electrochemical performances for KIB, including high capacity (96.8 mAh g⁻¹), high discharge voltage (3.3 V), high rate capability (1000 mA g⁻¹; 42 % capacity retention), and outstanding cycle stability (305 cycles; 75.1 % capacity retention).     

Scintillating-Glass-Fiber Neutron Sensors, their Application and Performance for Plutonium Detection and Monitoring

Most neutron detection sensors presently employ ³He gas-filled detectors. Despite their excellent performance and widespread use, there are significant limitations to this technology. A significant alternative neutron sensor utilizing neutron-active material incorporated into a glass scintillator is presented that offers novel commercial sensors not possible or practical with gas tube technology. The scintillating optical fiber permits sensors with a multitude of sizes ranging from devices of a single fiber of 150µm to sensors with tens of thousands of fibers with areas as large as 5 m² depending on the neutron flux to be measured. A second significant advantage is the use of high-speed electronics that allow a greater dynamic range, not possible with gas detectors. These sensors are flexible, conformable and less sensitive to vibration that optimizes the source-to-detector geometry and provides robust performance in field applications. The glass-fibers are sensitive to both gamma-rays and neutrons. However, the coincidence electronics are optimized for neutron to gamma-ray discrimination allowing very sensitive measurements with a low false-alarm rate. Applications include SNM surveillance, material control and accountability (MC&A), safeguard inspections, Pu health physics/bioassay and environmental characterization.     

Conducting polystyrene/polyaniline blend through template-assisted emulsion polymerization

Electrically conducting polystyrene (PS)/polyaniline blends have been prepared through a one-step “anilinium-surfactant template”-assisted emulsion polymerization at room temperature. The self-assembled cylindrical An⁺PDPSA^? micelle formed inside the PS matrix can act as a structure directing template cum dopant. Morphological observation under scanning electron microscopic studies revealed that during the progress of polymerization, the initially formed nanostructured conducting polyaniline was changed into cubic/hexagonal/lamellar particles and finally transformed into a percolated structure inside the PS matrix. Blend was further characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, electrical conductivity, thermal stability, dielectric property, rheological property, and electromagnetic shielding efficiency. The key finding of this work is that the conductive blend prepared through micelle-guided polymerization exhibited superior electrical conductivity (9.6 S/m) with low percolation threshold concentration (5 wt%), excellent thermal stability, electromagnetic interference (EMI) SE of 1–10 dB which makes it a promising candidate for EMI shielding and antistatic discharge matrix for the encapsulation of microelectronic devices.     

共轭/非共轭嵌段聚苯撑乙烯(PPV)类共聚物的合成与性能

用活性中间体直接引发共轭/非共轭单体聚合的新方法合成了3种PPV嵌段共聚物;用核磁共振谱和FTIR光谱确定了共聚物的结构.引入非共轭片段PS缩短了PPV共轭链的长度,改善了聚合物的溶解性和可加工性.荧光光谱结果表明,嵌段聚合物可使发射峰蓝移,发光的量子效率明显提高,进而调节了发光颜色.     

Beta-gamma counting system for Xe fission products

A beta-gamma coincidence counting system has been developed for automated analysis of Xe gas samples separated from air. The Xe gas samples are contained in a cylindrical plastic scintillator cell located between two NaI(T1) scintillation detectors. The X-ray and gamma spectra gated by coincident events in the plastic scintillator cell are recorded for each NaI(T1) crystal. The characteristic signatures of the^131mXe,^133gXe,^133mXe, and^135gXe isotopes of interest for nuclear test-ban verification as well as the procedures and results of absolute efficiency measurements are described. A NaI(T1) crystal with provision for 4 sample cells has been implemented for the system to be deployed in the field. Examples of data on ambient air samples in New York City obtained with the field prototype are presented.     

Recoverable Flexible Perovskite Solar Cells for Next-Generation Portable Power Sources

Flexible perovskite solar cells (FPSCs) with excellent recoverability show a wide range of potential applications in portable power sources. The recoverability of FPSCs requires outstanding bendability of each functional layer, including the flexible substrates, electrodes, perovskite light absorbers, and charge transport materials. This review highlights the recent progress and practical applications of high-recoverability FPSCs, and illustrates the routes toward improvement of the recoverability and environmental stability through the choice of flexible substrates and the preparation of high-quality perovskite films, as well as the optimization of charge-selective contacts. In addition, we explore the intrinsic properties of each functional layer from the physical perspective and analyze how to select suitable functional layers. Additionally, some effective strategies are summarized, including material modification engineering of selective contacts, additives and interface engineering of interlayers, which can release mechanical stress and increase the power-conversion efficiency (PCE) and recoverability of the FPSCs. The challenges of making high-performance FPSCs with long-term stability and high recoverability are discussed. Finally, future applications and perspectives for FPSCs are discussed, aiming to promote more extensive commercialization processes for lightweight and durable FPSCs.     

CaWO4核/卤化银壳光敏微晶的制备及性能研究

用于感光材料的卤化银微晶合成技术近二十年来取得了很大进展,合成出了诸如T-颗粒、核壳乳剂和外延复合颗粒等,使感光材料的性能日趋优异。但由于感光化学反应(如化学增感、光谱增感、潜影形成及显影过程等)基本上都发生在微晶的表面,而微晶核内部的卤化银却未发生作用,而随定影过程被溶解成废液,这样便造成贵金属银的浪费。     

Synthesis and characterization of high-barrier polyimide containing rigid planar moieties and amide groups

A high-performance polyimide was prepared by the dipolymerization of 4,4'-diaminobenzanilide (DABA) and pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA). Due to the introduction of rigid planar moieties and amide groups, the polyimide shows outstanding properties, such as high glass transition temperatures (435 °C), excellent thermal stability (T_d5%, 542 °C, coefficient of thermal expansion, −3.2 ppm K⁻¹), and superior mechanical properties. Most importantly, the polyimide exhibits excellent barrier properties, with oxygen transmission rate (OTR) and water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) low to 7.9 cm³ (m² day)⁻¹ and 5.1 g (m² day)⁻¹, respectively. Wide angle X-ray diffractograms (WAXD), positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) and molecular dynamics simulations reveal that the excellent barrier properties are mainly attributed to the high crystallinity, high extent of in-plane crystalline orientation, and low free volume, which are resulted from the rigid planar structure and strong interchain hydrogen bonding. The high-barrier and thermally stable polyimide has an attractive potential application prospect in the fields of micro-electronics encapsulation and high grade packaging industry.