Colorimetric radiation detector
View Patent ↗A low cost, rapid, flexible radiation detector uses inorganic metal halide precursors and dyes that respond to self-quenching hybrid scintillation. Remote, high-contrast, laser sensing can be used to determine when exposure of the detector to radiation occurs (even temporally).
1. A colorimetric radiation detector, comprising:
a metal halide that decomposes on exposure to radiation; and
a dye whose fluorescence is quenched by a product of the metal halide decomposition.
2. The colorimetric radiation detector of claim 1 , wherein the metal halide comprises a post-transition metal halide.
3. The colorimetric radiation detector of claim 2 , wherein the post-transition metal halide comprises bismuth chloride.
4. The colorimetric radiation detector of claim 1 , wherein the metal halide comprises a transition metal halide or a lanthanide series heavy metal halide.
5. The colorimetric radiation detector of claim 1 , wherein the metal halide comprises a metal chloride.
6. The colorimetric radiation detector of claim 1 , wherein the metal halide further comprises a co-ligand.
7. The colorimetric radiation detector of claim 6 , wherein the co-ligand comprises an alkoxide.
8. The colorimetric radiation detector of claim 1 , wherein the dye comprises fluorescein.
9. The colorimetric radiation detector of claim 1 , further comprising a solvent and wherein the metal halide and the dye are dissolved in the solvent.
10. The colorimetric radiation detector of claim 9 , wherein the solvent comprises a Lewis base solvent.
11. The colorimetric radiation detector of claim 10 , wherein the Lewis base solvent comprises water or an alcohol.
12. The colorimetric radiation detector of claim 9 , wherein the solvent comprises an organic solvent.
13. The colorimetric radiation detector of claim 12 , wherein the organic solvent comprises toluene or xylene.
14. A method for detecting radiation, comprising:
providing a colorimetric radiation detector, the detector comprising:
a metal halide that decomposes on exposure to radiation; and
a dye whose fluorescence is quenched by a product of the metal halide decomposition;
exposing the colorimetric radiation detector to radiation; and
detecting a change in color of the colorimetric radiation detector.