# US 11,307,314 B2 · Apparatus, system, and method for radiation hardened plastic and flexible elastomer scintillator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,307,314 B2 - Document ID: US11307314B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/061,533 - Filed: 2016-12-20 - Published: 2020-08-20 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2015-12-21 - Assignees: University of Iowa Research Foundation - Applicants: University of Iowa Research Foundation - Inventors: Ugur Akgun; Yasar Onel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11307314B2 ## CPC - G01T 1/203: the detector being made of plastics - G01T 1/2033: {Selection of materials} - C09K 11/02: Use of particular materials as binders, particle coatings or suspension media therefor - C09K 11/06: containing organic luminescent materials - G01T 1/20: with scintillation detectors - G01T 1/2002: {Optical details, e.g. reflecting or diffusing layers} - G01T 1/2006: {using a combination of a scintillator and photodetector which measures the means radiation intensity} - C09K 2211/1007: Non-condensed systems - C09K 2211/14: Macromolecular compounds - G01T: MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION (radiation analysis of materials, mass spectrometry G01N23/00; tubes for determining the presence, intensity, density or energy of radiation or particles H01J47/00) - C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE ## Abstract A scintillating material that is a radiation hardened plastic and flexible elastomer is disclosed. The material is useful in a wide range of high energy particle environments and can be used to create detectors. Such detectors can be used in physics experiments or in medical treatment or imaging. The scintillator can be radiation hardened so as to allow for an extended lifetime over other materials. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A scintillating material for detecting high energy particles comprising: a base material selected from the group consisting of a siloxane material and a plastic; a primary fluor melted into the base material by heating the base material to between 65° C. and 100° C.; and a secondary fluor melted into the base material, wherein the scintillating material has a light output with little or no transmission loss after exposure to radiation dosages of up to approximately 105 Gy. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The scintillating material of claim 1, wherein the primary fluor comprises bis-MSB. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The scintillating material of claim 1, wherein the secondary fluor comprises pTP. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The scintillating material of claim 1, wherein the base material comprises HARDSIL. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The scintillating material of claim 1, wherein the primary fluor comprises bis-MSB and the secondary fluor comprises pTP. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The scintillating material of claim 1, wherein the scintillating material is configured to produce a light output of 400 nm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The scintillating material of claim 1, wherein the base material comprises a siloxane substantially optically transparent. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The scintillating material of claim 7, wherein the siloxane comprises a polysiloxane with a structural formula of ( R n ⁢ SiO 4 - n 2 ) m , wherein in R comprises phenyl. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The scintillating material of claim 1, wherein the scintillating material is radiation hardened based upon the selection of a radiation hardened base material, a radiation hardened first fluor, and a radiation hardened second fluor. ### Claim 10 A method for creating a scintillating material, the method comprising: providing a base material, wherein the base material is selected from the group consisting of a siloxane material and a plastic; melting a primary fluor into the base material by heating the base material between 65° C. and 100° C.; melting a secondary fluor into the base material; and melting a curing agent into the base material to form the scintillating material, wherein the scintillating material is formed to be radiation hardened to maintain production of a light output with little or no transmission loss after exposure to high radiation dosages of up to approximately 105 Gy. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein melting a primary fluor comprises heating the base material until the primary fluor dissolves. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the base material comprises HARDSIL, the primary fluor comprises bis-MSB, and the secondary fluor comprises pTP. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the curing agent comprises dicumyl peroxide. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the base material comprises 99% HARDSIL. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the base material is heated to between 65 C and 100 C before adding the first fluor and the second fluor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein post curing comprises applying heat of approximately 200 C to the scintillating material for approximately 2 hours. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of: degassing the scintillating material under vacuum; applying nitrogen gas at a positive pressure of approximately 1.5 psi while applying heat of approximately 130 C for approximately 8 hours; and post-curing the scintillating material to remove peroxide break down products. ### Claim 18 An apparatus for detecting high energy particles comprising: a scintillating material comprising; a base material; a primary fluor comprising bis-MSB melted into the base material between 65° C. and 100° C.; and a secondary fluor comprising pTP, wherein the scintillating material is formed by being degassed under vacuum, having nitrogen gas applied at a positive pressure while under heat, and post-cured to remove peroxide break down products wherein the scintillating material is configured to resist damage from high radiation dosages of approximately 105 Gy and still generate a light output with little or no transmission loss.