A composite has a solid-state structure, silicate, lithium ions, and at least one paramagnetic or diamagnetic element, which is different from lithium silicon, and oxygen. The solid-state structure has two areas in which the solid-state structure forms an identical crystal orientation. The areas are arranged at a distance of at least one millimeter from each other. A method has a quenching step in which a solid-state structure of a composite is produced, which differs from an ambient temperature solid-state structure. The composite produced by the method has silicate, lithium ions, and an element that is different from lithium, silicon, and oxygen. The method produces at least one gram of the phase pure composite in the quenching step.

A composite has a solid-state structure, silicate, lithium ions, and at least one paramagnetic or diamagnetic element, which is different from lithium silicon, and oxygen. The solid-state structure has two areas in which the solid-state structure forms an identical crystal orientation. The areas are arranged at a distance of at least one millimeter from each other. A method has a quenching step in which a solid-state structure of a composite is produced, which differs from an ambient temperature solid-state structure. The composite produced by the method has silicate, lithium ions, and an element that is different from lithium, silicon, and oxygen. The method produces at least one gram of the phase pure composite in the quenching step.

Methods for forming samples of noble metal bipyramid nanocrystals having very low size and shape polydispersities from samples of mixed noble metal nanocrystals are provided. The samples include those comprising high purity, substantially monodisperse, plasmonic gold bipyramid nanocrystals. Also provided are methods of growing secondary twinned metal nanocrystals using the noble metal bipyramid nanocrystals as seed particles. Like the seed bipyramid nanocrystals from which they are grown, the secondary nanocrystals are twinned nanocrystals and may also be characterized by very low size and shape polydispersities. Secondary twinned nanocrystals grown by these methods include enlarged metal bipyramid nanocrystals and nanocrystals with anisotropic “dumbbell” shapes having a variety of tip geometries. Methods for using noble metal bipyramid nanocrystals as plasmonic heaters to heat reaction solutions via plasmonic-photothermal radiation-to-heat conversion are also provided.

Methods for forming samples of noble metal bipyramid nanocrystals having very low size and shape polydispersities from samples of mixed noble metal nanocrystals are provided. The samples include those comprising high purity, substantially monodisperse, plasmonic gold bipyramid nanocrystals. Also provided are methods of growing secondary twinned metal nanocrystals using the noble metal bipyramid nanocrystals as seed particles. Like the seed bipyramid nanocrystals from which they are grown, the secondary nanocrystals are twinned nanocrystals and may also be characterized by very low size and shape polydispersities. Secondary twinned nanocrystals grown by these methods include enlarged metal bipyramid nanocrystals and nanocrystals with anisotropic “dumbbell” shapes having a variety of tip geometries. Methods for using noble metal bipyramid nanocrystals as plasmonic heaters to heat reaction solutions via plasmonic-photothermal radiation-to-heat conversion are also provided.

The present disclosure discloses a method for growing a crystal for detecting neutrons, gamma rays, and/or x rays. The method may include weighting reactants based on a molar ratio of the reactants according to a reaction equation (1−x−z)X.sub.2O.sub.3+SiO.sub.2+2xCeO.sub.2+zZ.sub.2O.sub.3.fwdarw.X.sub.2(1−x−Z)Ce.sub.2xZ.sub.2zSiO.sub.5+z/2O.sub.2↑ or (1−x−y−z)X.sub.2O.sub.3+yY.sub.2O.sub.3+SiO.sub.2+2xCeO.sub.2+zZ.sub.2O.sub.3.fwdarw.X.sub.2(1−x−y−z)Y.sub.2yCe.sub.2xZ.sub.2zSiO.sub.5+x/20.sub.2↑; placing the reactants on which a second preprocessing operation has been performed into a crystal growth device after an assembly processing operation is performed on at least one component of the crystal growth device; introducing a flowing gas into the crystal growth device after sealing the crystal growth device; and activating the crystal growth device to grow the crystal based on the Czochralski technique.

The present disclosure discloses a method for growing a crystal for detecting neutrons, gamma rays, and/or x rays. The method may include weighting reactants based on a molar ratio of the reactants according to a reaction equation (1-x-z)x.sub.2O.sub.3+SiO.sub.2+2xCeO.sub.2+zZ.sub.2O.sub.3.fwdarw.X.sub.2(1-x-Z)Ce.sub.2xZ.sub.2zSiO.sub.5+x/2O.sub.2↑ or (1-x-y-z)X.sub.2O.sub.3+yY.sub.2O.sub.3+SiO.sub.2+2xCeO.sub.2+zZ.sub.2O.sub.3.fwdarw.X.sub.2(1-x-y-z)Y.sub.2yCe.sub.2xZ.sub.2zSiO.sub.5+x/2O.sub.2↑; placing the reactants on which a second preprocessing operation has been performed into a crystal growth device after an assembly processing operation is performed on at least one component of the crystal growth device; introducing a flowing gas into the crystal growth device after sealing the crystal growth device; and activating the crystal growth device to grow the crystal based on the Czochralski technique.

A scintillation crystal can include a rare earth silicate, an activator, and a Group 2 co-dopant. In an embodiment, the Group 2 co-dopant concentration may not exceed 200 ppm atomic in the crystal or 0.25 at % in the melt before the crystal is formed. The ratio of the Group 2 concentration/activator atomic concentration can be in a range of 0.4 to 2.5. In another embodiment, the scintillation crystal may have a decay time no greater than 40 ns, and in another embodiment, have the same or higher light output than another crystal having the same composition except without the Group 2 co-dopant. In a further embodiment, a boule can be grown to a diameter of at least 75 mm and have no spiral or very low spiral and no cracks. The scintillation crystal can be used in a radiation detection apparatus and be coupled to a photosensor.

A scintillation crystal can include a rare earth silicate, an activator, and a Group 2 co-dopant. In an embodiment, the Group 2 co-dopant concentration may not exceed 200 ppm atomic in the crystal or 0.25 at % in the melt before the crystal is formed. The ratio of the Group 2 concentration/activator atomic concentration can be in a range of 0.4 to 2.5. In another embodiment, the scintillation crystal may have a decay time no greater than 40 ns, and in another embodiment, have the same or higher light output than another crystal having the same composition except without the Group 2 co-dopant. In a further embodiment, a boule can be grown to a diameter of at least 75 mm and have no spiral or very low spiral and no cracks. The scintillation crystal can be used in a radiation detection apparatus and be coupled to a photosensor.

Provided is a preparation method of a coating material. The method includes: using an aluminum salt and a silicon source as precursors; and performing hydrothermal crystallization and calcination treatments successively under an action of a template agent to obtain the coating material, wherein the template agent is used to cause the coating material to form a porous spherical structure. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the preparation process of the coating material is simple and the cost is low, and the specific surface area of the prepared coating material is large.

Provided is a preparation method of a coating material. The method includes: using an aluminum salt and a silicon source as precursors; and performing hydrothermal crystallization and calcination treatments successively under an action of a template agent to obtain the coating material, wherein the template agent is used to cause the coating material to form a porous spherical structure. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the preparation process of the coating material is simple and the cost is low, and the specific surface area of the prepared coating material is large.