Extruded plastic scintillator including inorganic powders

1. A method for producing a plastic scintillator that is sensitive to neutrons or x-rays, said method comprising the steps of:

combining a plurality of inorganic nano-sized particles and at least one dopant with a plastic material for the formation of a plastic scintillator thereof; and

processing said plurality of inorganic nano-sized particles, said at least one dopant and said plastic material within a dry inert atmosphere of an extruder to produce a reaction that results in the formation of a plastic scintillator thereof and the deposition of energy within said plastic scintillator, wherein said plastic scintillator produces light signifying the detection of a radiative species comprising at least one neutron or at least one x-ray.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

treating said plurality of inorganic nano-sized particles with an inert gas prior to processing said plurality of inorganic nano-sized particles, said at least one dopant and said plastic material utilizing said extruder.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein further comprising the step of:

producing polymer pellets in response to processing said plurality of inorganic nano-sized particles, said at least one dopant and said plastic material within said dry inert atmosphere of said extruder.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said extruder comprises a single screw extruder.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said extruder comprises a twin screw extruder.

6. A method for producing a plastic scintillator, said method comprising the steps of:

combining a plurality of nano-sized particles and at least one dopant with a plastic material for the formation of a plastic scintillator thereof, wherein said plurality of nano-sized particles comprises a lithium-bearing compound, wherein said lithium-bearing compound comprises at least one of the following: lithium fluoride, lithium titanate, or lithium carbonate; and

processing said plurality of nano-sized particles, said at least one dopant and said plastic material within a dry inert atmosphere of an extruder to produce a reaction that results in the formation of a plastic scintillator thereof and the deposition of energy within said plastic scintillator, wherein said plastic scintillator produces light signifying the detection of a radiative species.

7. A method for producing a plastic scintillator, said method comprising the steps of:

combining a plurality of nano-sized particles and at least one dopant with a plastic material for the formation of a plastic scintillator thereof, wherein said plurality of nano-sized particles comprises a boron-bearing compound, wherein said boron-bearing compound comprises B 2 O 3 ; and

processing said plurality of nano-sized particles, said at least one dopant and said plastic material within a dry inert atmosphere of an extruder to produce a reaction that results in the formation of a plastic scintillator thereof and the deposition of energy within said plastic scintillator, wherein said plastic scintillator produces light signifying the detection of a radiative species.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said plastic material comprises a plastic powder.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said plastic material comprises a plurality of plastic pellets.

10. A method for producing a plastic scintillator, said method comprising the steps of:

combining a plurality of nano-sized particles and at least one dopant with a plastic material for the formation of a plastic scintillator thereof, wherein said plurality of nano-sized particles comprises a plurality of heavy element nano-sized particles comprising at least one of the following: PbWO 4 or CeO 2 , wherein said plastic scintillator comprises an x-ray sensitive scintillator; and

processing said plurality of nano-sized particles, said at least one dopant and said plastic material within a dry inert atmosphere of an extruder to produce a reaction that results in the formation of a plastic scintillator thereof and the deposition of energy within said plastic scintillator, wherein said plastic scintillator produces light signifying the detection of at least one x-ray.

11. A method for producing a plastic scintillator, said method comprising the step of

combining a plurality of nano-sized particles and at least one dopant with a plastic material for the formation of a plastic scintillator thereof; and

processing said plurality of nano-sized particles, said at least one dopant and said plastic material within a dry inert atmosphere of an extruder to produce a reaction that results in the formation of a plastic scintillator thereof and the deposition of energy within said plastic scintillator, wherein said plastic scintillator produces light signifying the detection of a radiative species, wherein said reaction comprises the following reaction:

n+ 6 Li→ 4 He+ 3 H+4.79 MeV.

12. A method for producing a plastic scintillator, said method comprising the step of

combining a plurality of nano-sized particles and at least one dopant with a plastic material for the formation of a plastic scintillator thereof;

processing said plurality of nano-sized particles, said at least one dopant and said plastic material within a dry inert atmosphere of an extruder to produce a reaction that results in the formation of a plastic scintillator thereof and the deposition of energy within said plastic scintillator, wherein said plastic scintillator produces light signifying the detection of a radiative species, wherein said reaction comprises the following reaction:

n+ 10 B→ 7 Li*+ 4 He→ 7 Li+ 4 He+2.3 MeV.

13. A method for producing a plastic scintillator that is sensitive to neutrons or x-rays, said method comprising the steps of:

combining a plurality of nano-sized inorganic particles and at least one dopant with a plastic material for the formation of a plastic scintillator thereof;

processing said plurality of nano-sized inorganic particles, said at least one dopant and said plastic material within a dry inert atmosphere of an extruder to produce a reaction that results in the formation of a plastic scintillator thereof and the deposition of energy within said plastic scintillator, wherein said plastic scintillator produces light signifying the detection of a radiative species comprising at least one neutron or at least one x-ray;

treating said plurality of nano-sized inorganic particles with an inert gas prior to processing said plurality of nano-sized inorganic particles, said at least one dopant and said plastic material utilizing said extruder; and

producing polymer pellets in response to processing said plurality of nano-sized inorganic particles, said at least one dopant and said plastic material within said dry inert atmosphere of said extruder.

14. A method for producing a plastic scintillator, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a plastic and a plurality of nano-sized inorganic particles, wherein each of said nano-sized inorganic particles possess a size on the order of approximately 10 nm to −100 nm;

treating said plurality of nano-sized inorganic particles with an inert gas to produce completely dry nano-sized particles;

mixing said plurality of nano-sized inorganic particles with primary and secondary dopants prior to extruding said plastic; and

extruding said plurality of nano-sized inorganic particles and said plastic within an extruder under a dry inert atmosphere in order to uniformly distribute said plurality of nano-sized inorganic particles within a plastic matrix associated with said plastic to form a resulting melt thereof which can be formed into a plastic scintillator thereof.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of providing said plastic in a form of at least one of the following:

aromatic polymer;

aliphatic polymer;

acrylic polymer;

polystyrene plastic powder;

polystyrene plastic pellets;

polyvinyltoluene plastic powder; or

polyvinyltoluene plastic pellets.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

extruding said resulting melt into a plastic scintillator profile; and

pelletizing said resulting melt for use in subsequent casting, injection molding or extrusion processes thereof.