Radiation detectionInnovative plastic slashes cost of radiation detectors
Japan’s Teijin Chemicals announced it will begin supplying scintirex, an innovative low-cost radiation-fluorescent plastic, in late September; scintirex will be used in scintillators — the material at the core of radioactive radiation detectors; the use of the new plastic will slash the production cost of scintillators to one tenth or less of current levels
Queue formed for radiation exposure testing near Fukushima // Source: sknvibes.com
Teijin Chemicals Limited, the core company of the Teijin Group’s plastics business, announced Wednesday that it will begin supplying scintirex, an innovative low-cost radiation-fluorescent plastic, in late September.
Teijin Chemicals will process and supply scintirex for use as scintillators, the main material in radiation detectors. It is expected to be used by universities, research institutes, and manufacturers in some applications including radiation detectors and medical equipment. Teijin Chemicals believes that scintirex will help to reduce the total cost of radiation detectors by slashing the production cost of scintillators to one tenth or less of current levels.
Scintirex has a special molecule structure and emits blue fluorescence when exposed to radiation. It is superior to conventional scintillators in terms of luminescence, refractive index, and density. Because it is a polyester resin, scintirex is also easier to mold.
Detectors equipped with scintirex can be used for radiation management at nuclear power plants, nuclear fuel processing facilities, and radiation stations, such as those in hospitals. It also has a wide array of other applications, including radiation-inspection equipment at airports, harbors and rail stations, and aerospace hardware.
Scintirex is a proprietary polyester resin developed by Teijin Chemicals in cooperation with Kyoto University Nuclear Reactor Research Institute and the National Institute of Radiological Sciences in Japan.
Conventional scintillators are made with special plastic containing fluorescent agents. A low-cost alternative that enables the production of inexpensive radiation detectors has long been sought. The company says that scintirex now answers this need.
