Premium
Highly Sensitive Detection of Ionizing Radiations by a Photoluminescent Uranyl Organic Framework
Author(s) -
Xie Jian,
Wang Yaxing,
Liu Wei,
Yin Xuemiao,
Chen Lanhua,
Zou Youming,
Diwu Juan,
Chai Zhifang,
AlbrechtSchmitt Thomas E.,
Liu Guokui,
Wang Shuao
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.201700919
Subject(s) - photoluminescence , ionizing radiation , uranyl , radiolysis , dosimeter , irradiation , uranium , quenching (fluorescence) , detection limit , materials science , photochemistry , ion , radiochemistry , radical , fluorescence , chemistry , radiation , optoelectronics , optics , physics , nuclear physics , organic chemistry , chromatography , metallurgy
Precise detection of low‐dose X‐ and γ‐radiations remains a challenge and is particularly important for studying biological effects under low‐dose ionizing radiation, safety control in medical radiation treatment, survey of environmental radiation background, and monitoring cosmic radiations. We report here a photoluminescent uranium organic framework, whose photoluminescence intensity can be accurately correlated with the exposure dose of X‐ or γ‐radiations. This allows for precise and instant detection of ionizing radiations down to the level of 10 −4 Gy, representing a significant improvement on the detection limit of approximately two orders of magnitude, compared to other chemical dosimeters reported up to now. The electron paramagnetic resonance analysis suggests that with the exposure to radiations, the carbonyl double bonds break affording oxo‐radicals that can be stabilized within the conjugated uranium oxalate‐carboxylate sheet. This gives rise to a substantially enhanced equatorial bonding of the uranyl(VI) ions as elucidated by the single‐crystal structure of the γ‐ray irradiated material, and subsequently leads to a very effective photoluminescence quenching through phonon‐assisted relaxation. The quenched sample can be easily recovered by heating, enabling recycled detection for multiple runs.