Effect of heavy ion irradiation on optical property of radiation-crosslinked hydroxypropyl cellulose gel containing methacrylate monomers

Hiroki, Akihiro; Yamashita, Shinichi*; Kimura, Atsushi; Nagasawa, Naotsugu; Taguchi, Mitsumasa

Effects of liner energy transfer (LET) and dose rate on the optical property of polymer gel dosimeters were investigated. The dosimeter prepared by using a radiation-crosslinked hydroxypropyl cellulose gel and methacrylate monomers such as 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and nonaethylene glycol dimethacrylate showed the color change from colorless to white with the He, C, Fe ions irradiation. Absorbance of the irradiated dosimeters increased with the dose up to 10 Gy. The absorbance of the dosimeters at the same total dose decreased with increasing dose rate in the range of 0.1 to 6.8 Gy/min. The absorbance decreased in order of He, C, Fe ions, which was in agreement with a change of LET. The increase in LET affected the decrease in the number of polymerization initiator such as OH radical and hydrated electron, resulting in the reduction of the absorbance of the dosimeters.