Lyoluminescence sensitization and mechanism of trehalose dihydrate

Pre-irradiation treatment of trehalose .2H2O by recrystallization from an alkaline medium has resulted in a lyoluminescence (LL) enhancement factor of over two orders of magnitude. Accordingly, a lower radiation detection limit of 0.2 Gy dose has been achieved. There is evidence that a co-crystallized OH- ion in some coordinated form in the lattice of the solid material is involved in sensitization. LL emission spectra of all samples in varying pH solutions have shown an unchanging single peak centered at 465 nm. This emission is found to be identical to the fluorescence emission of trehalose .2H2O solution obtained by photoexcitation at 360 nm. Consequently, a simple mechanism for LL emission is proposed. (author)