Nanophosphor composite scintillator with a liquid matrix

A radiation detection method comprising:

• exposing a nanophosphor scintillator liquid to a radiation source, the nanophosphor scintillator liquid including:
• a liquid matrix;
• and
• at least one nanopowder phosphor selected from the group including yttrium oxide, yttrium tantalite, barium fluoride, cesium fluoride, bismuth germatate, zinc gallate, calcium magnesium pyrosilicate, calcium molybdate, calcium chlorovanadate, barium titanium pyrophosphate, a metal tungstate, a cerium doped nanophosphor, a bismuth doped nanophosphor, a lead doped nanophosphor, a thallium doped sodium iodide, a doped cesium iodide, a rare earth doped pyrosilicate, and a lanthanide halide, the at least one nanophosphor particle being surface modified by functionalizing the particle to provide a neutral surface;
• and
• detecting luminescence from the nanophosphor scintillator liquid.

A radiation detector having a nanophosphor composite scintillator of nanophosphor scintillator particles in a liquid matrix, comprising:

• a nanophosphor scintillator liquid including:
• a liquid matrix;
• and
• nanophosphor scintillator particles selected from the group including yttrium oxide, yttrium tantalite, barium fluoride, cesium fluoride, bismuth germatate, zinc gallate, calcium magnesium pyrosilicate, calcium molybdate, calcium chlorovanadate, barium titanium pyrophosphate, a metal tungstate, a cerium doped nanophosphor, a bismuth doped nanophosphor, a lead doped nanophosphor, a thallium doped sodium iodide, a doped cesium iodide, a rare earth doped pyrosilicate, and a lanthanide halide, the at least one nanophosphor particle being surface modified by functionalizing the particle to provide a neutral surface;
• and
• a photodetector optically coupled to the nanophosphor scintillator liquid.