Enhancement of the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) luminescence to develop a proton scintillator

0562435 - ÚJF 2023 RIV NL eng J - Journal Article
Torrisi, L. - Silipigni, L. - Torrisi, A. - Havránek, Vladimír - Cutroneo, Mariapompea
Enhancement of the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) luminescence to develop a proton scintillator.
Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research Section A. Roč. 1039, SEP (2022), č. článku 167012. ISSN 0168-9002. E-ISSN 1872-9576
R&D Projects: GA ČR GA19-02482S; GA MŠMT EF16_013/0001812
Research Infrastructure: CANAM II - 90056
Institutional support: RVO:61389005
Keywords : Polydimethylsiloxane * Au-nanoparticles * Graphene oxide microparticles * Luminescence * Scintillator * Proton irradiation
OECD category: Nuclear physics
Impact factor: 1.4, year: 2022
Method of publishing: Limited access
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2022.167012

The polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) luminescence, induced by MeV proton beams, has been investigated in the pure and doped polymer. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and graphene oxide microparticles (GO mu Ps) have been employed at low concentration (0.1 wt%) to modify the PDMS properties. Measurements have demonstrated that AuNPs enhance the PDMS luminescence, while GO mu Ps quench the polymer luminescence. The first ones, embedded into PDMS, produce a visible luminescence whose intensity is proportional to the absorbed proton dose. A linearity between the luminescence intensity and the proton absorbed dose is observed up to about 2.5 kGy, while at higher doses a luminescence saturation region shows up. The polymer can be employed to monitor in vacuum the proton beam spot size and shape and as a plastic scintillator dosimeter with peculiar elastic properties and high biocompatibility, as it will be presented and discussed.
Permanent Link: https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0334752