Summary
Scintillation materials convert incoming ionising radiation into flashes of light and are fundamental to radiation detection in physics, medicine and security. Polymer-matrix composite scintillators aim to combine the easy, low-cost processing and mechanical flexibility of plastics with the higher stopping power and light output that come from adding inorganic or organic scintillating components. This work addresses the synthesis and characterisation of such polymer-based composite scintillation materials. It examines how the choice of matrix and scintillating additives, together with the preparation route, influences the structure and the optical and scintillation behaviour of the resulting composites. By linking composition and processing to measured performance, the study contributes to the development of practical, tailorable composite scintillators as an alternative to conventional single-crystal detectors.