Novel Nanorods for High Efficiency Medical Imaging Applications

描述(由申请人提供)：这项第二阶段的SBIR建议旨在继续开发和商业化基于最近开发的核/壳纳米棒(NR)和纳米四脚(NTS)结构的新型高性能X射线成像屏幕。这些多维纳米晶(NC)结构可以很容易地以高密度嵌入到透明的聚合物基质中。它们将在数字射线照相、乳房X光照相、断层照相、蛋白质结晶学以及各种大面积辐射成像和检测应用中有着广泛的应用，这是以往使用传统闪烁体所无法实现的。第一阶段的目标已经成功实现，我们已经展示了高空间分辨率、非常快的时间响应、无余辉、无自吸收和良好的X射线转换效率的潜力。这种纳米复合闪烁体是由磷化技术公司和辐射监测设备公司(RMD)独立制备和测试的，在几个方面都超过了传统的有机和无机块状闪烁体。在第二阶段，我们的计划是继续改进这些NC结构和相关的筛选/生长技术，并展示它们在分辨率、探测面积、增益和生产成本方面甚至超过单晶X射线闪烁体的能力。这将通过创建具有最佳长度和窄尺寸分布的NCS，然后将其并入包含这种结构在高堆积密度下有序排列的聚合物复合材料来实现。有序的NC排列将通过成熟的基于低成本解决方案的自组装技术来实现，它将极大地增强X射线的吸收，并促进光通过聚合物基质通向电子传感器。使用这种方法，可以在聚合物基质中获得非常长(几十微米)的垂直排列的NC，其中NC之间的间隔(可以充当光通道)只有几个纳米，这与传统的CSI和其他单晶(或块状粉末)闪烁结构提供的微米间距限制相反。这些系统中采用的低成本溶液处理方法还将使大面积和高分辨率闪烁体与传统的块状和单晶材料相比成本显著降低。综上所述，这些新型的NC基薄膜将在各种类型的辐射探测设备和其他生物医学成像应用中有重要的应用，提高它们对美国国立卫生研究院以及整个分子生物学和医学界的价值。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This Phase II SBIR proposal aims at the continued development and commercialization of a new class of high-performance X-ray imaging screens based on the recently developed core/shell nanorod (NR) and nano-tetrapods (NTs) structures. These multi-dimensional nanocrystalline (NC) structures can be easily embedded with high densities in transparent polymer matrices. They will have wide ranging applications in digital radiography, mammography, tomography, protein crystallography, as well as a various large-area radiation imaging and detection applications, never before possible using conventional scintillators. The goals of Phase I were successfully achieved and we have demonstrated the potential for high spatial resolution, very fast time response, no afterglow, no self-absorption, and good X-ray conversion efficiency. The nano- composite scintillators were prepared and tested independently by both PhosphorTech and Radiation Monitoring Devices (RMD) and have outperformed conventional organic and inorganic bulk scintillators on several fronts. During Phase II, our plan is to continue refining these NC structures and related screening/growth techniques and demonstrate their ability to outperform even single crystal X-ray scintillators in terms of resolution, detection area, gain, and production cost. This will be achieved by creating NCs with optimal lengths and narrow size distribution and then incorporating them into polymer composites containing orderly arrangement of such structures at high packing densities. The orderly NC arrangement, which will be achieved by well-established low-cost solution-based self-assembly techniques, will dramatically enhance X-ray absorption and facilitate light channeling through the polymer matrix to the electronic sensors. Using such methods, it is possible to attain very long (tens of microns) vertically aligned NCs in a polymer matrix with inter- NC spacings (that can act as light channels) of only few nanometers, as opposed to the micron spacing limitations provided by conventional CsI and other single crystal (or bulk powder) scintillating structures. The low-cost solution processing methods employed in these systems will also enable both large-area and high resolution scintillators with significant cost reduction compared to conventional bulk and single crystal materials. In summary, these novel NC-based films will have significant applications in various types of radiation detection devices, and other biomedical imaging applications, enhancing their value to the NIH and to the molecular biology and medical communities as a whole.