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%) 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 optimised for this new polymeric detector and are 1N NaOH at 60°C for 30 minuets. It is noted that 3% boron containing poly (SDAC-co-ADC-co-APCC) detector is more sensitive than imported commercial (PADC)th and poly (APCC-co-ADC) detectors. It is observed that, in terms of number of net tracks developed, 3 % boron containing poly (SDAC-co-ADC-co-APCC) detector is two and half times more efficient than (PADC)th and its signal to noise (S/N) ratio is almost two fold higher than that of (PADC)th andpoly (APCC-co-ADC). The optimized time for revelation of the tracks is 30 minutes [1 N NaOH at 60 °C] which is found to be one-fourth than that for (PADC)th and poly (APCC-co-ADC) [120 min in 6N KOH at 70°C].