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Kuzmin A, Pudza I, Dile M, Laganovska K, Zolotarjovs A. Examining the Effect of Cu and Mn Dopants on the Structure of Zinc Blende ZnS Nanopowders. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 16:5825. [PMID: 37687518 PMCID: PMC10488788 DOI: 10.3390/ma16175825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
It is known that doping zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanoparticles with Mn or Cu ions significantly affects their luminescent properties. Herein, we investigated how dopant atoms are incorporated into the structure of ZnS using X-ray diffraction and multi-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The observed broadening of the X-ray diffraction patterns indicates an average crystallite size of about 6 nm. By analyzing the Zn, Mn, and Cu K-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectra using the reverse Monte Carlo method, we were able to determine the relaxations of the local environments around the dopants. Our findings suggested that upon the substitution of Zn by Mn or Cu ions, there is a shortening of the Cu-S bonds by 0.08 Å, whereas the Mn-S bonds exhibited lengthening by 0.07 Å. These experimental results were further confirmed by first-principles density functional theory calculations, which explained the increase in the Mn-S bond lengths due to the high-spin state of Mn2+ ions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexei Kuzmin
- Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia, Kengaraga Street 8, LV-1063 Riga, Latvia; (I.P.); (M.D.); (K.L.); (A.Z.)
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Pino F, Delgado JC, Carturan SM, Mantovani G, Polo M, Fabris D, Maggioni G, Quaranta A, Moretto S. Novel flexible and conformable composite neutron scintillator based on fully enriched lithium tetraborate. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4799. [PMID: 36959323 PMCID: PMC10036633 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31675-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Thermal neutron detection is a key subject for nuclear physics research and also in a wide variety of applications from homeland security to nuclear medicine. In this work, it is proposed a novel flexible and conformable composite thermal neutron scintillator based on a fully enriched Lithium Tetraborate preparation ([Formula: see text]Li[Formula: see text]B[Formula: see text]O[Formula: see text]) combined with a phosphorescent inorganic scintillator powder (ZnS:Ag), and is then distributed into a polydimethylsiloxane matrix. The proposed scintillator shows a good neutron detection efficiency (max. [Formula: see text] 57% with respect to the commercial EJ-420), an average light output of [Formula: see text] 9000 ph/neutron-capture, a remarkable insensitivity to [Formula: see text]-rays (Gamma Rejection Ratio <10[Formula: see text]), and an extraordinary flexibility, so as to reach extremely small curvature radii, down to 1.5 mm, with no signs of cracking or tearing. Its characteristics make it suitable to be employed in scenarios where non-standard geometries are needed, for example, to optimize the detector performance and/or maximize the detection efficiency. Finally, the response of a hybrid detector made of a plastic scintillator, wrapped with the proposed scintillator, coupled to a silicon photomultiplier array is described, and the excellent discrimination between [Formula: see text]-rays, fast and thermal neutrons resulting from data processing is demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Pino
- Department of Physics and Astronomy "Galileo Galilei", University of Padova, Padua, Italy.
- Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, INFN, Legnaro, Italy.
| | - Jessica Carolina Delgado
- Department of Physics and Astronomy "Galileo Galilei", University of Padova, Padua, Italy
- Department of Physics and Earth Science, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Sara Maria Carturan
- Department of Physics and Astronomy "Galileo Galilei", University of Padova, Padua, Italy
- Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, INFN, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Giorgia Mantovani
- Department of Physics and Astronomy "Galileo Galilei", University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Matteo Polo
- Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, Povo, Italy
- Padova Section, INFN, Padua, Italy
| | | | - Gianluigi Maggioni
- Department of Physics and Astronomy "Galileo Galilei", University of Padova, Padua, Italy
- Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, INFN, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Alberto Quaranta
- Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, Povo, Italy
- TIFPA-Trento Institute for Fundamental Physics and Applications, INFN, Povo, Italy
| | - Sandra Moretto
- Department of Physics and Astronomy "Galileo Galilei", University of Padova, Padua, Italy
- Padova Section, INFN, Padua, Italy
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Montanarella F, McCall KM, Sakhatskyi K, Yakunin S, Trtik P, Bernasconi C, Cherniukh I, Mannes D, Bodnarchuk MI, Strobl M, Walfort B, Kovalenko MV. Highly Concentrated, Zwitterionic Ligand-Capped Mn 2+:CsPb(Br x Cl 1-x ) 3 Nanocrystals as Bright Scintillators for Fast Neutron Imaging. ACS ENERGY LETTERS 2021; 6:4365-4373. [PMID: 34917771 PMCID: PMC8669634 DOI: 10.1021/acsenergylett.1c01923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Fast neutron imaging is a nondestructive technique for large-scale objects such as nuclear fuel rods. However, present detectors are based on conventional phosphors (typically microcrystalline ZnS:Cu) that have intrinsic drawbacks, including light scattering, γ-ray sensitivity, and afterglow. Fast neutron imaging with colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) was demonstrated to eliminate light scattering. While lead halide perovskite (LHP) FAPbBr3 NCs emitting brightly showed poor spatial resolution due to reabsorption, the Mn2+-doped CsPb(BrCl)3 NCs with oleyl ligands had higher resolution because of large apparent Stokes shift but insufficient concentration for high light yield. In this work, we demonstrate a NC scintillator that features simultaneously high quantum yields, high concentrations, and a large apparent Stokes shift. In particular, we use long-chain zwitterionic ligand capping in the synthesis of Mn2+-doped CsPb(BrCl)3 NCs that allows for attaining very high concentrations (>100 mg/mL) of colloids. The emissive behavior of these ASC18-capped NCs was carefully controlled by compositional tuning that permitted us to select for high quantum yields (>50%) coinciding with Mn-dominated emission for minimal self-absorption. These tailored Mn2+:CsPb(BrCl)3 NCs demonstrated over 8 times brighter light yield than their oleyl-capped variants under fast neutron irradiation, which is competitive with that of near-unity FAPbBr3 NCs, while essentially eliminating self-absorption. Because of their rare combination of concentrations above 100 mg/mL and high quantum yields, along with minimal self-absorption for good spatial resolution, Mn2+:CsPb(BrCl)3 NCs have the potential to displace ZnS:Cu as the leading scintillator for fast neutron imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Montanarella
- Laboratory
of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir Prelog Weg 1, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland
- Laboratory
for Thin Films and Photovoltaics, Empa −
Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Kyle M. McCall
- Laboratory
of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir Prelog Weg 1, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland
- Laboratory
for Thin Films and Photovoltaics, Empa −
Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Kostiantyn Sakhatskyi
- Laboratory
of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir Prelog Weg 1, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland
- Laboratory
for Thin Films and Photovoltaics, Empa −
Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Sergii Yakunin
- Laboratory
of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir Prelog Weg 1, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland
- Laboratory
for Thin Films and Photovoltaics, Empa −
Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Pavel Trtik
- Laboratory
for Neutron Scattering and Imaging, Paul
Scherrer Institut, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | - Caterina Bernasconi
- Laboratory
of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir Prelog Weg 1, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland
- Laboratory
for Thin Films and Photovoltaics, Empa −
Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Ihor Cherniukh
- Laboratory
of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir Prelog Weg 1, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland
- Laboratory
for Thin Films and Photovoltaics, Empa −
Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - David Mannes
- Laboratory
for Neutron Scattering and Imaging, Paul
Scherrer Institut, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | - Maryna I. Bodnarchuk
- Laboratory
of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir Prelog Weg 1, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland
- Laboratory
for Thin Films and Photovoltaics, Empa −
Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Markus Strobl
- Laboratory
for Neutron Scattering and Imaging, Paul
Scherrer Institut, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | | | - Maksym V. Kovalenko
- Laboratory
of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir Prelog Weg 1, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland
- Laboratory
for Thin Films and Photovoltaics, Empa −
Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
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McCall KM, Sakhatskyi K, Lehmann E, Walfort B, Losko AS, Montanarella F, Bodnarchuk MI, Krieg F, Kelestemur Y, Mannes D, Shynkarenko Y, Yakunin S, Kovalenko MV. Fast Neutron Imaging with Semiconductor Nanocrystal Scintillators. ACS NANO 2020; 14:14686-14697. [PMID: 32897688 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c06381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Fast neutrons offer high penetration capabilities for both light and dense materials due to their comparatively low interaction cross sections, making them ideal for the imaging of large-scale objects such as large fossils or as-built plane turbines, for which X-rays or thermal neutrons do not provide sufficient penetration. However, inefficient fast neutron detection limits widespread application of this technique. Traditional phosphors such as ZnS:Cu embedded in plastics are utilized as scintillators in recoil proton detectors for fast neutron imaging. However, these scintillation plates exhibit significant light scattering due to the plastic-phosphor interface along with long-lived afterglow (on the order of minutes), and therefore alternative solutions are needed to increase the availability of this technique. Here, we utilize colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) in hydrogen-dense solvents for fast neutron imaging through the detection of recoil protons generated by neutron scattering, demonstrating the efficacy of nanomaterials as scintillators in this detection scheme. The light yield, spatial resolution, and neutron-vs-gamma sensitivity of several chalcogenide (CdSe and CuInS2)-based and perovskite halide-based NCs are determined, with only a short-lived afterglow (below the order of seconds) observed for all of these NCs. FAPbBr3 NCs exhibit the brightest total light output at 19.3% of the commercial ZnS:Cu(PP) standard, while CsPbBrCl2:Mn NCs offer the best spatial resolution at ∼2.6 mm. Colloidal NCs showed significantly lower gamma sensitivity than ZnS:Cu; for example, 79% of the FAPbBr3 light yield results from neutron-induced radioluminescence and hence the neutron-specific light yield of FAPbBr3 is 30.4% of that of ZnS:Cu(PP). Concentration and thickness-dependent measurements highlight the importance of increasing concentrations and reducing self-absorption, yielding design principles to optimize and foster an era of NC-based scintillators for fast neutron imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle M McCall
- Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir Prelog Weg 1, Zürich, CH-8093, Switzerland
- Laboratory for Thin Films and Photovoltaics, Empa-Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, Dübendorf, CH-8600, Switzerland
| | - Kostiantyn Sakhatskyi
- Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir Prelog Weg 1, Zürich, CH-8093, Switzerland
- Laboratory for Thin Films and Photovoltaics, Empa-Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, Dübendorf, CH-8600, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Adrian S Losko
- Forschungs-Neutronenquelle Heinz Maier-Leibnitz, Garching, 85748, Germany
| | - Federico Montanarella
- Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir Prelog Weg 1, Zürich, CH-8093, Switzerland
- Laboratory for Thin Films and Photovoltaics, Empa-Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, Dübendorf, CH-8600, Switzerland
| | - Maryna I Bodnarchuk
- Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir Prelog Weg 1, Zürich, CH-8093, Switzerland
- Laboratory for Thin Films and Photovoltaics, Empa-Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, Dübendorf, CH-8600, Switzerland
| | - Franziska Krieg
- Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir Prelog Weg 1, Zürich, CH-8093, Switzerland
- Laboratory for Thin Films and Photovoltaics, Empa-Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, Dübendorf, CH-8600, Switzerland
| | - Yusuf Kelestemur
- Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir Prelog Weg 1, Zürich, CH-8093, Switzerland
- Laboratory for Thin Films and Photovoltaics, Empa-Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, Dübendorf, CH-8600, Switzerland
- Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Atilim University, Ankara, 06830, Turkey
| | - David Mannes
- Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen PSI, 5232, Switzerland
| | - Yevhen Shynkarenko
- Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir Prelog Weg 1, Zürich, CH-8093, Switzerland
- Laboratory for Thin Films and Photovoltaics, Empa-Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, Dübendorf, CH-8600, Switzerland
| | - Sergii Yakunin
- Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir Prelog Weg 1, Zürich, CH-8093, Switzerland
- Laboratory for Thin Films and Photovoltaics, Empa-Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, Dübendorf, CH-8600, Switzerland
| | - Maksym V Kovalenko
- Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir Prelog Weg 1, Zürich, CH-8093, Switzerland
- Laboratory for Thin Films and Photovoltaics, Empa-Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, Dübendorf, CH-8600, Switzerland
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