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Min SJ, Park YD, Yoon SK, Lee CH, Seo BK, Cheong JH, Roh C, Hong SB. Fabrication of a Liquid Scintillator based on 7-Diethylamino-4-Methylcoumarin for Radiation Detection. J Fluoresc 2023; 33:1705-1716. [PMID: 36826726 DOI: 10.1007/s10895-023-03162-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Organic liquid scintillation detectors are widely used to measure the presence of radiation. With these devices, there are advantages in that they are easy to manufacture, large in size, and have a short fluorescence decay time. However, they are not suitable for gamma spectroscopy because they are composed of a low-atomic-number material. In this regard, alternative materials for the secondary solute used in basic organic liquid scintillators have been investigated, and the applicability of alternative materials, the detection characteristics, and neutron/gamma identification tests were all assessed. 7-Diethylamino-4-methylcoumarin (DMC), selected as an alternative material, is a benzopyrone derivative in the form of colorless crystals with high fluorescence, a high quantum yield in the visible region, and excellent light stability. In addition, it has a large Stokes shift, and solubility in a solvent is good. Through an analysis in this study, it was found that the absorption wavelength range of DMC coincides with the emission wavelength range of PPO, which is the primary solute used with DMC. Finally, it was confirmed that the optimal concentration of DMC was 0.08 wt%. As a result of performing gamma and neutron measurement tests using a DMC-based liquid scintillator, it was found to perform well (FOM = 1.42) compared to a commercial liquid scintillator, BC-501A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su Jung Min
- Department of Nuclear Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, 17104, Korea
- Decommissioning Technology Research Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), Daejeon, 34057, Korea
| | - Yong Dae Park
- Radiation Research Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), Jeongeup, 56212, Korea
| | - Seon Kwang Yoon
- Advanced Fuel Cycle System Research Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), Daejeon, 34057, Korea
- Nuclear Science and Technology, Quantum Energy Chemical Engineering, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, 34113, Korea
| | - Chae Hun Lee
- Advanced Fuel Cycle System Research Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), Daejeon, 34057, Korea
| | - Bum Kyoung Seo
- Decommissioning Technology Research Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), Daejeon, 34057, Korea
| | - Jae Hak Cheong
- Department of Nuclear Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, 17104, Korea.
| | - Changhyun Roh
- Decommissioning Technology Research Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), Daejeon, 34057, Korea.
- Nuclear Science and Technology, Quantum Energy Chemical Engineering, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, 34113, Korea.
| | - Sang Bum Hong
- Decommissioning Technology Research Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), Daejeon, 34057, Korea.
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Chandler C, Porcincula DH, Ford MJ, Kolibaba TJ, Fein-Ashley B, Brodsky J, Killgore JP, Sellinger A. Influence of fluorescent dopants on the vat photopolymerization of acrylate-based plastic scintillators for application in neutron/gamma pulse shape discrimination. ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING 2023; 73:10.1016/j.addma.2023.103688. [PMID: 37719134 PMCID: PMC10502904 DOI: 10.1016/j.addma.2023.103688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Plastic scintillators, a class of solid-state materials used for radiation detection, were additively manufactured with vat photopolymerization. The photopolymer resins consisted of a primary dopant and a secondary dopant dissolved in a bisphenol A ethoxylate diacrylate-based matrix. The absorptive dopants significantly influence important print parameters, for example, secondary dopants decrease the light penetration depth by a factor > 12 ×. The primary dopant 2,5-diphenyloxazole had minimal impact on the printing process even when loaded at 25 % by mass of the resin. Working curve measurements, which relate energy dose to cure depth, were performed as a function of feature size to further assess the influence of dopants. Photopatterns smaller than 150 μm width had apparent increases in critical energy dose compared to larger photopatterns, while all resins maintained printed features in line gratings with 50 μm of separation. Printed scintillator monoliths were compared to scintillators cast by traditional molding, demonstrating that the layer-by-layer printing process does not decrease scintillation response. A maximum light output of 31 % of a benchmark plastic scintillator (EJ-200) and successful pulse shape discrimination were achieved with 20 % by mass 2,5-diphenyloxazole as the primary dopant and 0.1 % by mass 9,9-dimethyl-2,7-distyrylfluorene as the secondary dopant in printed scintillator samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caleb Chandler
- Colorado School of Mines, Department of Chemistry, 1500 Illinois St., Golden, CO 80401, United States of America
| | - Dominique H. Porcincula
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Ave., Livermore, CA 94550, United States of America
| | - Michael J. Ford
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Ave., Livermore, CA 94550, United States of America
| | - Thomas J. Kolibaba
- Applied Chemicals and Materials Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO 80305, United States of America
| | - Benjamin Fein-Ashley
- Colorado School of Mines, Department of Chemistry, 1500 Illinois St., Golden, CO 80401, United States of America
| | - Jason Brodsky
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Ave., Livermore, CA 94550, United States of America
| | - Jason P. Killgore
- Applied Chemicals and Materials Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO 80305, United States of America
| | - Alan Sellinger
- Colorado School of Mines, Department of Chemistry, 1500 Illinois St., Golden, CO 80401, United States of America
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Thorum AJ, Allred DD, Pitt WG, Munro TR. Tuning the index of refraction of a polyvinyl toluene and polystyrene copolymer toward a heterogenous, index‐matched neutron detector. J Appl Polym Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/app.53305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Aaron J. Thorum
- Department of Mechanical Engineering Brigham Young University Provo Utah USA
| | - David D. Allred
- Department of Physics and Astronomy Brigham Young University Provo Utah USA
| | - William G. Pitt
- Department of Chemical Engineering Brigham Young University Provo Utah USA
| | - Troy R. Munro
- Department of Mechanical Engineering Brigham Young University Provo Utah USA
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Li W, Li Y, Nikl M, Hamel M, Wu H, Qian S, Kucerkova R, Babin V, Ren G, Wu Y. Preparation and performance of plastic scintillators with copper iodide complex-loaded for radiation detection. POLYMER 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2022.124832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Fast Neutron Scintillator Screens for Neutron Imaging Using a Layered Polymer-Phosphor Architecture. QUANTUM BEAM SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/qubs6020014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Fast neutrons enable a nondestructive examination of dense, large, and highly attenuating samples due to their lower interaction probability compared to thermal neutrons. However, this also creates a challenge in fast neutron imaging, as the thicker sensors necessary to detect fast neutrons degrade an image’s spatial resolution due to scattering within the sensor and the indeterminate depth of interaction in the sensor. This work explores the advantages of a fast neutron imaging screen with a layered polymer-phosphor screen approach as opposed to a mixed polymer-phosphor screen typically used in fast neutron imaging. Proton recoil is the primary conversion mechanism for fast neutron imaging. Simulations showed that the recoil proton range of typical fast neutrons is approximately 200 µm, however, tests at Idaho National Laboratory revealed that the light output of these screens increased at much greater polymer thicknesses. The NECTAR fast neutron beamline at FRM II was used to test the imaging performance of layered fast neutron imaging screens. Distinguishing between the fast-neutron and γ-ray signals is a major challenge in fast neutron imaging because all fast neutron sources also produce γ-rays. A relative comparison between a control plate and the fast neutron screen was made to distinguish between a γ-ray and fast neutron signals. MCNP modeling quantified the γ-ray and fast neutron contributions to the images measured at NECTAR, which were approximately a 75% γ-ray image.
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