SBIR Phase I: Development Of A Novel Composite Material Based On Monodisperse Glass Microspheres For Thermal Neutron Scintillation Detectors

SBIR第一阶段：开发用于热中子闪烁探测器的基于单分散玻璃微球的新型复合材料

• 批准号: 1045836
• 负责人: Kenneth Weston
• 金额: $ 15万
• 依托单位: Nucsafe, Inc.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-01-01 至 2011-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1045836&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; Development; Novel; Composite

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop the technology needed for high performance neutron detectors that use Ce3+ activated 6Li glass in the form of monodisperse microspheres with strategically controlled dimensions and architecture. Current Ce3+/6Li glass scintillator technology has the potential to produce neutron detectors that are extremely sensitive, rugged, flexible in design geometry, have a large dynamic range (background to 10 Mcps), and do not contain toxic or regulated materials, but the glass also scintillates in response to gamma radiation, which is problematic since it can cause unacceptably high false neutron alarms. The proposed material to be developed will have significantly lower gamma sensitivity as compared to the bulk glass or optical fibers and will lead to a transformational impact on the performance that can be achieved as compared to existing neutron detection systems. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project includes filling a market need that is vitally important for the security of vulnerable nuclear weapons and materials, and for the prevention of illicit trafficking of these materials. The effectiveness of detection systems at high-risk border crossings, airports and seaports, as well as at nuclear weapons and components storage locations and research reactors, will be improved. Since neutrons are not emitted by most radionuclides used for medical or industrial purposes, the detection of neutrons is usually an unambiguous indicator of the presence of special nuclear materials (SNMs). Because the vast majority of neutron detection systems in existence today rely on 3He proportional counters and there is currently a global shortage of 3He, a suitable alternative neutron detection technology is urgently needed.

这个小企业创新研究第一阶段项目将开发高性能中子探测器所需的技术，该探测器使用Ce 3+激活的6Li玻璃，以单分散微球的形式，具有战略控制的尺寸和结构。 当前的Ce 3 +/6Li玻璃闪烁体技术具有生产中子探测器的潜力，所述中子探测器在设计几何形状上极其灵敏、坚固、灵活，具有大的动态范围（背景为10 Mcps），并且不包含有毒或受管制的材料，但是玻璃还响应于伽马辐射而闪烁，这是有问题的，因为它可能导致不可接受的高假中子警报。与散装玻璃或光纤相比，拟开发的材料将具有显著较低的伽马灵敏度，并将导致对与现有中子探测系统相比可以实现的性能的变革性影响。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力包括满足市场需求，这对脆弱核武器和材料的安全以及防止这些材料的非法贩运至关重要。 将提高高风险过境点、机场和海港以及核武器和部件储存地点和研究反应堆的探测系统的效力。 由于大多数用于医疗或工业目的的放射性核素不会发射中子，因此中子的检测通常是特殊核材料（SNM）存在的明确指标。 由于目前存在的绝大多数中子探测系统依赖于3 He正比计数器，并且目前全球3 He短缺，因此迫切需要合适的替代中子探测技术。