Preparation of polymeric composites for surface contamination measurement in order to characterize nuclear facilities decommissioning

Double-layered polysulfone composite films, containing cerium activated yttrium silicate (CAYS) as a fluor, were prepared from double casting of two polymeric solutions, and their morphology and physical strength were superior to those of single-layered composites. The prepared polymeric films consist of a dense bottom layer and a CAYS-holding top layer. The former is made of coagulating the polysulfone and methylene chloride binary solution and works as a supporter to improve the composite's physical strength, while the latter holding the inorganic fluor plays a role as an active site to detect the radioactive contamination. The prepared films revealed two distinguished, but tightly attached, double layers, their attachment being identified by morphology of the interface between two layers. As prepared by water immersion coagulation, the films have highly developed macropores, compared with a dense structure in the film prepared by evaporation. In the radionuclide detection test of the CAYS-impregnated composites, the films have reliable detection capacity at a radionuclide spotting test. The double-layered composites with the dense support layer show a better stability in holding the radionuclides spotted on the surface as well as an improvement in physical strength, compared with the single-layer composites having shortcomings such as being too porous or being brittle