Patent ID: 7582880

Claim:
A neutron detecting material comprising: a matrix material fabricated from a sol-gel precursor to glass having a volumetrically high loading of a neutron absorbing material, said neutron absorbing material yielding at least one of an electron, a proton, a triton, an alpha particle and a fission fragment when said neutron absorbing material absorbs a neutron; and a scintillating material in particulate form and embedded in said matrix material to form a heterogeneous composition, said scintillating material being provided to scintillate when traversed by said at least one of an electron, a proton, a triton, an alpha particle and a fission fragment, said scintillating material being configured such that said matrix material surrounding particulates of said scintillating material is dimensioned such that charged particles emitted from said matrix material enter said scintillating material.