Chemical Research in Chinese Universities ›› 2025, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (6): 1522-1542.doi: 10.1007/s40242-025-5238-y

• Reviews • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Advances in Organic Two-dimensional Materials for X-Ray Detection and Their Applications in Flexible Electronics

YANG Tinghan, TAN Hongyu, REN Yiwen, WU Xianshuo, HU Suhao, DU Yuhan, SUN Lingjie, YANG Fangxu, HU Wenping   

  1. State Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials for Intelligent Sensing, Key Laboratory of Organic Integrated Circuit, Ministry of Education & Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Sciences, Department of Chemistry, School of Science & Institute of Molecular Aggregation Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
  • Received:2025-10-07 Accepted:2025-11-10 Online:2025-12-01 Published:2025-12-05
  • Contact: SUN Lingjie,E-mail:sunlingjie@tju.edu.cn;YANG Fangxu,E-mail:yangfangxu@tju.edu.cn E-mail:sunlingjie@tju.edu.cn;yangfangxu@tju.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2024YFB3614500), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 52373194, 52403301, U24A20293), and the Program of the Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations, China.

Abstract: X-Ray detection and imaging are pivotal for medical diagnostics, non-destructive testing, and aerospace exploration. However, conventional inorganic detectors face intrinsic constraints in flexibility, scalability, and cost-effective manufacturing. Organic two-dimensional (2D) materials, featuring molecular tunability, mechanical softness, and solution processability, have emerged as promising alternatives for next-generation flexible X-ray detectors. This review presents a comprehensive overview of the interaction mechanisms between X-rays and organic systems, highlighting how photoelectric absorption and Compton scattering jointly determine the detection efficiency. It further delineates the critical parameters governing detector performance, including absorption cross-section, exciton dissociation, carrier transport, and defect regulation. Representative classes of organic 2D materials, such as covalent organic frameworks, conjugated polymers, small-molecule single crystals, and organic-inorganic hybrids, are analyzed in terms of their structural design, processing strategies, and synergistic optimization of absorption and transport. Various device architectures, encompassing photodiode, organic field-effect transistor (OFET), and self-powered configurations, are discussed with respect to sensitivity, radiation stability, and mechanical endurance. Finally, the review identifies persisting challenges, low X-ray absorption, ion migration, toxicity, and scalable fabrication, and explores prospective strategies involving high-Z doping, heterojunction engineering, and AI-assisted process optimization. By bridging material innovation and device integration, organic 2D systems offer a versatile and sustainable platform for developing lightweight, flexible, and high-performance X-ray detectors, paving the way toward wearable medical imaging and intelligent portable diagnostics.

Key words: X-Ray detection, Organic two-dimensional material, Flexible electronic, Organic semiconductor, Application