Effects of neutron radiation on the optical and structural properties of blue and green emitting plastic scintillators

NUCLEAR INSTRUMENTS & METHODS IN PHYSICS RESEARCH SECTION B-BEAM INTERACTIONS WITH MATERIALS AND ATOMS

卷:436

Article

Baranov, V.¹  Davydov, Yu. I.¹  Erasmus, R.^2,3  Kureba, C. O.⁴  Lekalakala, N.^2,5  Masuku, T.^2,5  Mdhluli, J. E.^2,5  Mellado, B.^2,5,6  Mokgatitswane, G.⁴  Sideras-Haddad, E.^2,3,5  Vasilyev, I.¹  Zhmurin, P. N.⁷ 

[1] Joint Inst Nucl Res, Dubna 141980, Russia

[2] Univ Witwatersrand, Sch Phys, ZA-2050 Johannesburg, South Africa

[3] Univ Witwatersrand, DST NRF Ctr Excellence Strong Mat, ZA-2050 Johannesburg, South Africa

[4] Botswana Int Univ Sci & Technol, Dept Phys & Astron, Private Bag 16, Palapye, Botswana

[5] Univ Witwatersrand, Inst Collider Particle Phys, ZA-2050 Johannesburg, South Africa

[6] Natl Res Fdn, iThemba LABS, POB 722, ZA-7129 Somerset West, South Africa

[7] Inst Scintillat Mat, Kharkov, Ukraine

关键词: Neutron radiation;    Neutron fluence;    Radiation damage;    Scintillator;    Polystyrene;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.nimb.2018.10.002

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

We report on the optical and structural properties of plastic scintillators irradiated with neutron beams produced by the IBR-2 reactor of the Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics in JINR, Dubna. Blue UPS-923A and green plastic scintillators were irradiated with neutron fluence ranging from 10(13) to 10(17) n/cm(2). Discolouring in the plastic scintillators was observed after irradiation. The effects of radiation damage on the optical and structural properties of the samples were characterized by conducting light yield, light transmission, light fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy studies. The results showed that neutron radiation induced damage in the material. The disappearance of the Raman peak features in green scintillators at frequencies of 1165.8, 1574.7 and 1651.2 cm(-1) revealed significant structural alterations due to neutron bombardment. Losses in fluorescence intensity, light yield and light transmission in the plastic scintillators were observed.

【 授权许可】

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