Gamma-irradiation on a Tuffak polycarbonate solid state nuclear track detector

Abstract

The effects of gamma-irradiation at a dose range of 5-56 Mrad on the fission track registration efficiency of the Tuffak polycarbonate track detector from dry (K _dry) as well as the solution media (K _wet) are investigated. Fission tracks were recorded in the gamma-irradiated detectors along with the unirradiated ones by an electrodeposited source of ²⁵²Cf and also separately from a ²⁵²Cf solution. The fission track registration efficiencies for the irradiated detectors were determined in comparison with those of the unirradiated detectors. The results show that while the K _dry values for the irradiated detectors decrease by about 2-10%, the corresponding K _wet values decrease by about 3-20% as compared to unirradiated detectors . Further, the bulk etch rates were found to increase with the increase in gamma dose. The changes induced in the gamma-irradiated detectors as a function of dose have been studied also by thermogravimetry (TG).