No. 305: An inexpensive plastic that shines blue responding to nuclear radiation (September 8, 2010)

A new plastic that shines blue responding to nuclear radiation will be launched by Teijin late September. The new product is an inexpensive radiation-fluorescent plastic made from PET bottles using a very simple production method. It is about one tenth of the existing products in terms of price. It is expected to stimulate the development of inexpensive radiation counters amid the growing concern about nuclear radiation after the Fukushima disaster on March 11.The existing products are very expensive because special materials and production method are required to produce them. The new product will be put on the market under the brand name of SCINTIREX that was jointly developed by Kyoto University and National Institute ofRadiological Sciences. It is clear and colorless under normal conditions, and it shines in proportion to the strength of nuclear radiation. It can be produced by such standard mass production method as injecting molding. The price will be less than 10,000 yen apiece, though it depends on sales quantities. It will be built in nuclear radiation measurement gates and personal nuclear radiation counters. Teijin plans to market the new product to measuring instrument makers and research laboratories.