Studies on gamma irradiation effects in an indigenously prepared cellulose acetate butyrate (cab) solid state nuclear track detector by UV-visible spectroscopy and infrared spectrometry

Gamma irradiation effects in the dose range of 15-400 kGy on the optical and structural properties of an indigenously prepared cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) solid state nuclear track detector (SSNTD) have been investigated. The CAB detectors were exposed to gamma rays with different doses ranging from 15 kGy to 400kGy. The induced optical changes were studied using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Visible) in absorbance mode and structural changes by infrared spectrometry. The UV-Visible spectra of the unirradiated and gamma irradiated CAB detector show a significant decreasing trend in their optical energy band gaps for indirect transitions. This decrease in indirect band gap energy with the increase in gamma dose is due to its gamma irradiation induced scission in the CAB polymeric detector. The changes observed by UV-Visible spectroscopy were further confirmed by infrared spectrometry. The results obtained can be used for measuring gamma dose in the range 0-400 kGy. (author)