From the R&D to the commercialization of a new green-emitting plastic scintillator

International audienceAn R&D program has been conducted to provide a formulation of a new green-emitting plastic scintillator, from the idea to commercialization. At first, various polystyrene formulations including different fluorophores were prepared and benchmarked. Several parameters were taken into account, with a main focus on the light output, the emission wavelength and the photoluminescence decay time. Once the best formulation was found at the laboratory scale with 70 cm3 samples, the scale up was performed, first with a 1 L material (still at the R&D laboratory), then 12 L scintillators produced at the factory. The methodology and a benchmark of the material against EJ-260 and BC-428 plastic scintillators are presented. This new green-emitting scintillator with catalog reference SP33 displays competitive properties for radiation detection. Its emission is centered on 500 nm, with a photoluminescence decay time of 4.8 ns and a light output around 8500 ph/MeV