Patent ID: 7105832

Claim:
A composite scintillator for neutron detection comprising: a) a matrix material fabricated from an inorganic sol-gel precursor solution homogeneously doped with a liquid scintillating material and homogeneously doped with a neutron absorbing material, said neutron absorbing material yielding at least one of an electron, a proton, a triton, an alpha particle or a fission fragment when said neutron absorbing material absorbs a neutron; and b) said liquid scintillating material in a self-assembled micelle formation doped in said matrix material through the formation of surfactant-silica composites, said scintillating material being provided to scintillate when traversed by said at least one of an electron, a proton, a triton, an alpha particle or a fission fragment, said scintillating material being configured such that said matrix material surrounds said micelle formation of said scintillating material.