Metal-organic Frameworks as potential materials for X-ray detectors: Recent progress and unique opportunities

Abstract

X-ray detectors and scintillators play a crucial role in society, with extensive applications in scientific research, security, manufacturing quality control and medical imaging including general-radiography, computed tomography and positron emission tomography. The demand for medical imaging is steadily growing among aging populations, highlighting the need for accessible and affordable X-ray technologies that can provide higher image quality while minimising the radiation dosage given to patients. Although existing commercial technologies provide adequate results, they come with inherent drawbacks, including slow response times, suboptimal radioluminescence efficiencies, and limited tunability over a range of X-ray energies. They also typically rely on costly and energy-intensive production processes at elevated temperatures. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have recently attracted attention as promising materials for a new generation of X-ray detectors and scintillators, that can revolutionise low-dose and high-throughput medical and security imaging and enable unique applications. In this review, we discuss the underlying mechanisms and recent progress made in MOF-based X-ray detectors and scintillators and examine their unique potential to outperform existing technologies.