Cesium iodide

Chemical properties

white crystalline powder

The Uses of Cesium iodide

Cesium iodide (CsI) is a kind of ionic compound that has been widely used as scintillators in many areas such as X-ray image intensifier tubes, photocathodes, and display devices.
Cesium iodide is used in scintillation counters(Geiger counters) to measure levels of external radiation. It is also useful as a "getter" to remove air molecules remaining in vacuum tubes.
Cesium Iodide is a material with high γ-ray stopping power due to its relative high density and atomic number. For scintillation counting, it is used either in its un-doped form or doped with sodium or thallium.
CsI is resistant to thermal and mechanical shock. The physical characteristics of CsI are independent of the activator used. Compared to NaI(Tl), it is relatively soft and plastic, and does not cleave. Because it has no cleavage plane, it is quite rugged-which makes it well-suited for well logging, space research or other applications where severe shock conditions are encountered.

The Uses of Cesium iodide

Prisms for infrared spectroscopy; in x-ray fluorescent screens, scintillation counters.

The Uses of Cesium iodide

Cesium iodide is used in FT-IR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometers) as a beamsplitter. Cesium Iodide exhibits high gamma-ray stopping power. Useful as input phosphor in fluoroscopy equipment, and efficient photocathode for extreme ultraviolet wavelengths. Fast and dense scintillating material - useful in electromagnetic calorimetry in particle physics.

What are the applications of Application

Cesium iodide is a suitable standard for electrospray ionisation MS (ESI)

Production Methods

A single crystal can be grown from a melt solution by both the Kyropoulus method and the Stockbarger method.

General Description

Cesium iodide is a simple ionic salt. It has the capacity to undergo second order transformation from cubic B2 structure to body-centered tetragonal structure at low pressures. It is mostly used as input screens of X-ray image intensifiers.

Flammability and Explosibility

Non flammable

Safety Profile

Moderately toxic by ingestion and intraperitoneal routes. See also CESIUM and IODIDES. When heated to decomposition, it emits toxic fumes of I-.

Solubility in water

Cesium iodide is soluble in water, with a solubility of 44/100 g H2O (0℃ and 160/100 g H2O (61℃). It is soluble in alcohol. One should handle it carefully, because it is deliquescent.

Purification Methods

Crystallise it from warm water (1mL/g) by cooling to -5o.

Structure and conformation

The space lattice of CsI belongs to the cubic system, and its cesium chloride structure has a lattice constant of a=0.8529 nm.