Influence of alpha irradiation on pre and post solar exposed PM-355 polymeric nuclear track detector sheets

The effect of alpha irradiation before and after solar exposed PM-355 polymeric SSNTDs films was investigated. The absorption spectra for both non-irradiated and irradiated samples at different solar exposure time in different months showed a shift in the absorption edge towards lower wavelengths as the solar exposure time increases. This is probably ascribed to the presence of conjugate bonds. The fluorescence spectra indicated three distinguished peaks at approximately 330, 415 and 465 nm respectively. The first peak is attributed to the band gap while the other two peaks due to a probable formation of solid defects. The structure analysis using X-ray diffraction (XRD) proved the partial crystalline nature of the polymer with dominant amorphous phase. There was a slight increase in the XRD peak intensity for the sample irradiated by alpha particles indicating that the polymeric detector structure becomes more crystalline with a change in the crystallite size. - Highlights: • The absorption edge is shifted towards lower wavelengths as the solar exposure time increases. • Three distinguished peaks at approximately 330, 415 and 465 nm are obtained from the fluorescence spectra. • The first peak in the fluorescence spectra is attributed to the band gap. • The structure of the polymer is partially crystalline with dominant amorphous phase. • The polymeric detector structure becomes more crystalline with a change in the crystallite size with irradiation.