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

Vladimir Baranov; Yuri Davydov; Rudolph Erasmus; Chamunorwa O Kureba; Nthabiseng Lekalakala; Thabo C Masuku; Joyful E Mdhluli; Bruce Mellado; Gaogalalwe Mokgatitswane; Elias Sideras-Haddad; Ilya Vasilyev; Petr N Zhmurin

doi:10.1016/j.nimb.2018.10.002

arXiv · 1810.05000

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

Vladimir Baranov·Yuri Davydov·Rudolph Erasmus·Chamunorwa O Kureba·Nthabiseng Lekalakala·Thabo C Masuku·Joyful E Mdhluli·Bruce Mellado·Gaogalalwe Mokgatitswane·Elias Sideras-Haddad·Ilya Vasilyev·Petr N Zhmurin

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Abstract

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.

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Vladimir Baranov, Yuri Davydov, Rudolph Erasmus, Chamunorwa O Kureba, Nthabiseng Lekalakala, Thabo C Masuku, Joyful E Mdhluli, Bruce Mellado, Gaogalalwe Mokgatitswane, Elias Sideras-Haddad, Ilya Vasilyev, Petr N Zhmurin. 2018-10-11. Effects of neutron radiation on the optical and structural properties of blue and green emitting plastic scintillators. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2018.10.002

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