Poly(sulfone-carbonate-carborane) copolymers for rapid revelation of thermal neutron induced alpha tracks

Abstract

The paper describes the preliminary studies regarding development of a new polymeric track detector known as poly (SDAC-co-ADC-co-APCC) for rapid detection of thermal neutrons induced alpha tracks. The polymeric detector with different percentages of natural boron (1-5 percent) content is prepared by cast copolymerization of Allyl Diglycol Carbonate (ADC) with Allyl Propargyl Carbonate Carborane (APCC) and 2,2'-Sulfonyl Diethanol bis (Allyl Carbonate) [SDAC]. APCC contains boron which increased thermal neutron sensitivity as boron has high cross-section for thermal neutrons. The etching conditions are optimized for this new polymeric detector and are 1 N NaOH at 60 degrees C for 30 minuets. It is noted that 3 percent boron containing poly (SDAC-co-ADC-co-APCC) detector is more sensitive than imported commercial (PADC) sub(th) and poly (APCC-co-ADC) detectors. It is observed that, in terms of number of net tracks developed, 3 percent boron containing poly (SDAC-co-ADC-co-APCC) detector is two and half times more efficient than (PADC) sub(th) and its signal to noise (S/N) ratio is almost two fold higher than that of (PADC) sub(th) ana poly (APCC-co-ADC). The optimized time for revelation of the tracks is 30 min [1 N NaOH at 60 degrees C] which is found to be one-fourth than that for (PADC) sub(th) and poly (APCC-co-ADC) [120 min in 6 N KOH at 70 degrees C].