Self-healing scintillator films consisting of hybrid manganese bromides for non-planar X-ray imaging

Abstract

The development of flexible scintillator materials with high performance, ultra-stretchability, and self-healing properties remains a critical challenge for next-generation X-ray imaging applications. While organic–inorganic hybrid manganese halides (OIMnHs) exhibit promising optical properties, their integration into flexible films remains hindered by complex fabrication processes. Here, we report a novel organic–inorganic hybrid manganese bromide-polyurethane composite scintillator film achieved by embedding organic–inorganic hybrid manganese bromides (OIMnBr) into the polyurethane polymer, featuring unprecedented mechanical flexibility, ultra-high stretchability (elongation at break: 1870%), and room temperature self-healing (5 s recovery). The scintillator film exhibits exceptional photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY: 100%), and outstanding water and thermal stability. It achieves a low X-ray detection limit (15.37 nGy_air s⁻¹), high spatial resolution, and robust radiation stability. High-resolution X-ray imaging for curved 3D objects highlights its potential in medical diagnostics, non-destructive testing, and wearable radiation detection.