Journal of Inorganic Materials

   

X-ray Induced Photochromic Materials, Mechanism and Application

YUAN Long1, JIA Ru1, YUAN Meng1,2, ZHANG Jian2, DUAN Yu2, MENG Xiang-dong1   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Physics and Chemistry of Functional Materials of the Ministry of Education, School of Physics, Jilin Normal University, Changchun 130103;
    2. State Key Laboratory of Integrated Optoelectronics, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
  • Received:2025-01-16 Revised:2025-02-18
  • Contact: MENG Xiang Dong, professor. E-mail: xdmeng@jlnu.edu.cn
  • About author:YUAN Long, associate professor. E-mail: yuanlong@jlnu.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China (51902127); Jilin Provincial Science and Technology Development Programme (20230508058RC, 20230201040GX); Industrialization Cultivation Project of Jilin Provincial Department of Education (JJKH20230512CY)

Abstract: X-ray induced photochromic materials (XP materials), characterized by their radiation dose-dependent coloration properties, exhibit broad application prospects in fields such as national defense and security, nuclear energy development and utilization, industrial nondestructive testing, and medical imaging. In recent years, scientists worldwide have developed diverse XP material systems, conducted in-depth investigations into their radiation-induced coloration mechanisms, and explored their specialized applications, highlighting the urgent need for a comprehensive review of their working principles and application domains. This article systematically summarizes the material systems exhibiting X-ray-induced photochromic behavior, categorizing them based on chemical composition and coloration characteristics. The advantages and limitations of various XP materials are comparatively analyzed, while the underlying mechanisms of X-ray-induced photochromism—such as color center formation and redox processes—are discussed. Furthermore, their potential applications in X-ray detection, medical diagnostics, and industrial monitoring are introduced. Finally, future research directions are proposed to advance the development of XP materials with enhanced performance and broader scenario adaptability. This review holds significant implications for guiding subsequent research on optimizing XP materials and accelerating their commercialization process, thereby facilitating the practical implementation of X-ray-induced photochromic technologies.

Key words: photochromic materials, X-ray, radiochromic, chromic mechanism, radiation dosage measurement

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