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Scientists Discover Way to Send Information into Black Holes Without Using Energy

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Scientists Create Flexible, Low-Cost Materials That Could Change X-Ray Technology Forever

X-rays help doctors diagnose disease, keep airports secure, ensure nuclear safety, and support cutting-edge scientific research. They allow us to see what the human eye cannot. Yet the technology behind X-ray detection has remained largely unchanged for decades. Most X-ray detectors still rely on rigid, expensive, and difficult-to-manufacture materials that limit how widely and flexibly these tools can be used.

Now, groundbreaking research led by Professor Biwu Ma from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Florida State University (FSU) is opening the door to a new generation of X-ray detectors. By developing innovative, low-cost hybrid materials, Ma and his team have shown that X-ray detection can be more affordable, flexible, and environmentally friendly—without sacrificing performance.

In two major studies published in the prestigious journals Small and Angewandte Chemie, the team tackled long-standing challenges in X-ray imaging. One study focuses on direct X-ray detectors that convert X-rays straight into electrical signals. The other introduces advanced scintillators, materials that glow when exposed to X-rays. Together, these discoveries could significantly reshape the future of X-ray technology.


The problem with traditional X-ray detectors

Today’s commercial X-ray detectors are usually made from inorganic semiconductors, such as cadmium telluride (CdTe) and cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe). While these materials work well, they come with serious drawbacks. They contain toxic elements, require high temperatures and energy-intensive processes to manufacture, and are expensive to produce. Most importantly, they are rigid and difficult to adapt for new or flexible applications.

“As a field, we have traditionally relied on inorganic materials,” Professor Ma explains. “But they are costly, hard to process, and have many limitations. We wanted to develop a new class of materials that could overcome these challenges.”

A new class of hybrid materials

To solve this problem, Ma’s group developed organic metal halide complexes (OMHCs) and organic metal halide hybrids (OMHHs). These materials combine organic components (carbon-based molecules) with metal halides (compounds made from metals and halogen elements such as bromine).

By carefully designing these materials at the molecular level, the researchers were able to control how they interact with X-rays. This approach allowed them to create materials that can either generate electrical signals directly or emit visible light when exposed to X-rays.

Most importantly, these materials can be produced using simple, low-cost methods, making them easier to scale for real-world use.

Glass-like OMHC films for direct X-ray detection

In the first study, published in Small, the researchers achieved a major milestone: the first-ever use of OMHC materials for direct X-ray detectors.

The team developed a specific OMHC made from zinc, bromine, and an organic semiconductor molecule. This single material is capable of absorbing X-rays efficiently and transporting electrical charges—two key requirements for direct X-ray detection.

Instead of using complex crystal growth methods, the researchers used a melt-processing technique, similar to how plastics are melted and reshaped. The OMHC crystals were heated until they melted and then cooled into amorphous, glass-like films. These films can be easily molded into detector shapes without complicated manufacturing steps.

When exposed to X-rays, the detectors made from these films produced strong electrical signals, even at low radiation levels. This means they can detect X-rays more sensitively than many conventional detectors.

Strong performance and long-term stability

Performance alone is not enough—X-ray detectors must also be stable over time. The team tested the durability of their OMHC-based detectors by storing them under normal room conditions for four months.

The result was impressive: the detectors retained 98% of their original performance.

Beyond performance, these materials offer clear practical advantages. They are made from abundant and non-toxic elements, cost less to produce, and require far less energy during manufacturing. The melt-processing method also makes them easier to scale for large-area detectors.

“From a sustainability perspective, this new class of materials offers tremendous advantages,” Ma said. “They can be prepared at low cost while delivering high performance.”

Fast, bright scintillators that can bend and move

In the second study, published in Angewandte Chemie, the team turned its attention to scintillators—materials that emit visible light when hit by X-rays or other high-energy radiation.

Scintillators are widely used in medical imaging, security scanners, and radiation monitoring. However, traditional scintillators are often rigid, expensive, and slow to respond.

Ma’s group developed a new type of OMHH-based scintillator that is both bright and extremely fast. Unlike earlier versions that required slow and delicate crystal growth, this new material is amorphous, meaning it does not rely on crystals at all.

By redesigning the molecular structure, the researchers shifted the light emission from the metal halide part of the material to the organic components. This change dramatically sped up the response time, allowing the scintillator to emit light in just nanoseconds.

Why speed matters in X-ray imaging

Fast response is crucial in advanced X-ray imaging. When a scintillator emits light quickly, images become clearer and more accurate. It also reduces signal overlap, which is especially important in applications such as computed tomography (CT), real-time radiation monitoring, and high-speed security scanning.

Despite the faster response, the new OMHH scintillators still maintain excellent X-ray absorption and high light output, offering the best of both worlds.

X-ray detectors on fabric

One of the most exciting outcomes of this research is flexibility. Because the new OMHH material is amorphous, it can be processed into thin films and coatings.

Using this property, the team created fabric-based X-ray scintillators that can be integrated directly into clothing. These scintillating fabrics could enable wearable radiation detectors—a major departure from traditional rigid devices.

Such technology could be used by medical staff, emergency responders, nuclear workers, or security personnel, providing continuous and comfortable radiation monitoring in real-world environments.

Why this research matters

Although the two studies focus on different detection methods, they share a common goal: overcoming the cost, rigidity, and sustainability limits of traditional X-ray detectors.

FSU has already begun filing patents to commercialize these technologies and test them outside the laboratory. If successfully scaled, these materials could transform fields such as medical imaging, airport security, nuclear safety, and scientific research.

The team is also working with international partners, including TU Delft, the University of Antwerp, the University at Buffalo, and Qrona Technologies, to explore applications ranging from photon-counting CT to X-ray microscopy.

“These materials are very unique and were developed here at FSU,” Ma said. “We believe they have tremendous potential to outperform existing technologies and solve key challenges in X-ray detection.”

A clearer, safer future

By replacing rigid, expensive, and toxic materials with flexible, low-cost hybrid alternatives, this research marks an important step toward more accessible and sustainable X-ray technologies. As these innovations move from the lab to real-world use, they promise a future where seeing the invisible becomes easier, safer, and more affordable for everyone.

References: (1) O. J. Olasupo, K. Rajapaksha, T. B. Shonde, et al. “ Semiconducting Organic Metal Halide Complex Glasses for Efficient X-Ray Detection.” Small 22, no. 6 (2026): e12181. https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202512181 (2)  Tarannuma Ferdous Manny et al, Amorphous Zero‐Dimensional Organic Metal Halide Hybrid Scintillators with High Light Yield and Fast Response, Angewandte Chemie (2025). DOI: 10.1002/ange.202525242

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