Pan‐lanthanides method for plastic doping, application in photophysics, and scintillation with proof of photoelectric event occurrences

Abstract

Taking advantage of lanthanide chemistry and coordination dynamics, a method was elaborated to embed high amounts of organometallic complexes inside a polymeric matrix. The use of a carbonylated cross‐linker allows more than a 10‐fold increase of the solubility in monomeric solution, which can afford samples reaching up to 1 wt% incorporation of lanthanides atoms. Derivatives of these samples were used as plastic scintillators to observe total gamma‐ray absorption (Photoelectric [PE] effect) of a 241Am source. The analysis was conducted on the PE occurrence rate, which showed a discontinuity along the lanthanide row, confirming that the observed signal is indeed due to PE events. These methods also provide mechanically durable samples with stable photophysical properties comparable to a solution study of lanthanides complexes.