Development of liquid scintillators loaded with alkaline earth molybdate nanoparticles for detection of neutrinoless double-beta decay

To determine whether neutrinoless double-beta decay occurs is an enormous challenge in particle physics. For this purpose, developing a highly transparent liquid scintillator that contains a candidate isotope at high concentration is required. In this work, Mo-100 was selected as the isotope and surface-modified nanoparticles were applied. AMoO(4) alkaline earth molybdates (A = Ca, Sr, and Ba) were synthesized with a subcritical hydrothermal method so that they were well dispersed in organic solvents. The crystalline phase of the nanoparticles was confirmed with X-ray diffraction measurements. The particle size of SrMoO4 nanoparticles was found to be the smallest from a transmission electron microscope examination. The SrMoO4 nanoparticles were incorporated in liquid scintillators, resulting in high transparency and efficient scintillation. In conclusion, liquid scintillators loaded with organic modified SrMoO4 nanoparticles were successfully developed. (C) 2019 The Ceramic Society of Japan. All rights reserved.