The Use of Polycarbonate as Dosimeter of High Doses

Abstract

Dosimetry of high doses of ionizing radiation is a method widely used not only in the field of basic and applied research but also in various industries. High-dose irradiation is used in the sterilization of foodstuffs and prolongation of their shelf life, sterilization of tools, materials and wastewater, treatment of antiquities attacked by woodworm organisms, biological and genetic research, inhibition of seed germination, and retardation of fruit ripening. Furthermore, it has been applied in radiation resistance testing of materials, defectoscopy, industrial irradiation of materials (e.g., crosslinking and grafting of polymers or gemstone coloring by ionizing radiation), and last but not least, of course, nuclear energetics. In this work, the dosimetric properties of polycarbonate are studied. They are compared with a standardized and certified method using alanine dosimeters. In the case of gammas, the testing was realized for 60Co and neutron radiation was studied in the light water research nuclear reactor (LVR-15).