Radiation-induced chemical processes in polystyrene scintillators

• Published in: Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section B, Beam interactions with materials and atoms Vol. 151; no. 1; pp. 457 - 461
• Main Authors: Milinchuk, V.K, Bolbit, N.M, Klinshpont, E.R, Tupikov, V.I, Zhdanov, G.S, Taraban, S.B, Shelukhov, I.P, Smoljanskii, A.S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.05.1999
• Subjects: Ionizing radiation; Macroradical; Polymeric scintillator; Radiation resistance; Radiation resistance; 61.80.E; Ionizing radiation; 82.50; 78.60.Y; Polymeric scintillator; Macroradical; 29.40.M; 61.82.P
• ISSN: 0168-583X; 1872-9584
• DOI: 10.1016/S0168-583X(99)00096-8

The regularities established for macroradical accumulation and intensity of radioluminescence under γ-irradiation of a polystyrene scintillator prove benzyl macroradicals to be efficient quenchers of the excited scintillator molecules. Dissolved oxygen was determined to have a constant of the quenching rate 100 times lower than that of macroradicals. Oxygen is an efficient antirad because of participating in oxidation reactions and subsequent recombination of macroradicals. The method was developed to obtain a polymeric scintillator with a polystyrene matrix containing a dispersed system of pores and channels. Radiation resistance of such a scintillator is 5–10 times higher than that of standard types.