Solid state pulse radiolysis

The paper stresses the insufficient knowledge of solid state radiation chemistry contrasting with well developed radiation chemistry of liquids. The basic difference between solids and liquids consists in rapid decay of intermediates in the latter and a long life of reactive species in the solid state, due to a low mobility of system constituents. Due to esr investigation, radiothermoluminescence, lyoluminescence, etc., the knowledge is developing on comparatively stable species, but their precursors, or other short lived species decaying to stable compounds remain unknown. In spite of experimental difficulties, caused mainly by a not sufficient transparency of samples, pulse radiolysis in the solid state is developing. Different approaches are presented with examples of results. They contribute to the knowledge of solid state radiation chemistry. Nonoptical methods of detection of intermediates in solid state pulse radiolysis (e.g. electrical conductivity) are not discussed in the present paper. (author). 8 refs, 1 fig