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When individuals envision a practitioner evaluating a fractured bone, an X-ray typically comes to mind. However, this technology is equally vital in contexts such as airport security, manufacturing, quality assurance, and scientific exploration, each requiring distinct specifications for size and form. 

A group spearheaded by Florida State University Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Biwu Ma has invented a novel type of X-ray material capable of fulfilling the requirements for extensive applications, substituting intricate crystal structures with a flexible and scalable thin-film detector. The findings were published in Angewandte Chemie. 

“We improved a material we previously developed,” Ma stated. “This new configuration can be produced reliably and swiftly, providing end users with an innovative method to integrate X-ray detection into their processes.” 

Ma and his team are trailblazers in the field of materials known as zero-dimensional organic metal halide hybrids, abbreviated as 0D OMHHs. These materials integrate organic elements, which feature a carbon framework or carbon-hydrogen bonds, with inorganic metal halides composed of metal and halogen atoms. Their hybrid composition enables scientists and engineers to leverage the advantageous properties of both components, offering affordable, flexible, and high-performance materials for direct X-ray detection. 

In earlier studies, the team demonstrated how 0D OMHH single crystals could function as X-ray detectors. Nonetheless, their scalability is hindered by a lengthy and intricate crystal growth process. 

In this recent study, Ma’s group produced amorphous OMHH films, millimeter-thin layers of organic metal halide hybrids that can be fashioned into various shapes. These films can be quickly manufactured into large-area and specifically formed detectors, allowing for wider applications in domains such as astronomy, materials science, and medical imaging. 

“When a physician aims to capture an X-ray of a patient’s chest, it’s essential to have a detector ample enough to encompass the entire area for a precise image,” Ma noted. “Producing single crystals of that dimension is exceptionally challenging. With our new technique and this amorphous film material, we are now positioned to fabricate much larger and more adaptable X-ray detectors suitable for a diverse range of applications.”

MECHANISM OF OPERATION
0D OMHHs are composed of positively charged organic cations that are ionically bonded to negatively charged metal halide units, resulting in structures with highly customizable characteristics. These materials have already shown potential in applications such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), anti-counterfeiting technologies, and beyond. 

For this investigation, the team synthesized amorphous films by merging non-crystalline organic molecules with metal halides, facilitating efficient transformation of X-rays into electrical signals for image production. Similar to single crystals, the amorphous films also demonstrate high sensitivity, minimal detection thresholds, and excellent stability, enhancing their potential for widespread adoption in detector fabrication.

POTENTIAL USES AND FUTURE PATHS
X-rays are essential in various contexts, from medical diagnostics—such as radiography and fluoroscopy—to non-destructive industrial assessments, where they are employed to evaluate welding, identify fractures in materials, and ensure structural integrity. 

Detectors are also employed in security settings. They are part of machines scanning luggage as individuals traverse an airport’s screening area, and they are utilized to pinpoint hazardous substances in parcels sent through the mail. They are crucial in manufacturing, for purposes such as inspecting food items for pollutants. 

Extensive X-ray detectors simplify imaging, enabling higher resolution images, enhancing detection capabilities, and allowing for quicker processing of scanned objects. Their capacity to encompass larger areas in a single scan is particularly advantageous in sectors like cargo inspection, where speed and efficiency are paramount. 

“The importance of this work resides in facilitating potential industrial processing for large-area detection, which is vital for the material’s applicability,” remarked Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry chair Wei Yang. “This research represents a remarkable advancement in a highly innovative endeavor led by Biwu, highlighting the unique strengths of our department in this promising field.” 

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A temporary patent application named “Direct X-ray Detectors Based on Solution-Processed Amorphous Zero-Dimensional Organic Metal Halide Hybrid Films” was submitted to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in April. Ma is also in the midst of establishing a company with an industry collaborator to commercialize the innovations created by his team, encompassing this novel method for enhancing X-ray technologies. 

“Since initially publishing on these substances nearly a decade ago, I have collaborated with my peers to expand the limits of their potential,” Ma stated. “We regard 0D OMHHs as adaptable and potent, capable of providing superior alternatives in various sectors.” 

COLLABORATORS AND SUPPORT
Further contributors to this project include chemistry Ph.D. student Oluwadara Olasupo, the principal author of the publication; other current and former members of Ma’s research team, namely Abiodun M. Adewolu, Mohammad Khizr, Tarannuma F. Manny, He Liu, Md S. Islam, Sahel Moslemi, J.S. Raaj V Winfred, and Ranjan Das; chemistry professor Yan-Yan Hu; and FSU Ph.D. graduate Tunde Shonde, who is now a lecturer in the Department of Chemistry at the University of West Florida. High school student Ethan Kim also engaged in this research via FSU’s Young Scholars Program. 

This investigation was funded by the National Science Foundation and the FSU Office of Research. 

To explore more about Ma’s endeavors and the research carried out in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, visit chem.fsu.edu.

 

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