A Novel, Rapid Response Renewable Biopolymer Neutron and Gamma Radiation Solid-State Detector for Dosimetry and Nuclear Reactor Flux-Power Mapping
A novel solid-state neutron and gamma radiation monitor-dosimeter based on biopolymer polylactic acid (PLA) is presented. The resulting detector (PLAD) technology takes advantage of property changes of the renewable PLA resin when subject to ionizing nuclear radiation. A simple yet rapid and accurat...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Instruments |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2410-390X/7/3/26 |
| _version_ | 1797579484593913856 |
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| author | Wen Jiang True Miller Troy Barlow Nathan Boyle Rusi P. Taleyarkhan |
| author_facet | Wen Jiang True Miller Troy Barlow Nathan Boyle Rusi P. Taleyarkhan |
| author_sort | Wen Jiang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A novel solid-state neutron and gamma radiation monitor-dosimeter based on biopolymer polylactic acid (PLA) is presented. The resulting detector (PLAD) technology takes advantage of property changes of the renewable PLA resin when subject to ionizing nuclear radiation. A simple yet rapid and accurate (±10%) low-cost (<$0.01/detector) mass loss upon dissolution (MLD) technique was successfully developed; MLD is based on a simple mass balance for discerning neutron and/or gamma doses using small (40 mg, ~4 mm diameter) ultra-low-cost (<$0.01) resin beads via dissolution in acetone. The GammaCell<sup>TM</sup> Co-60 irradiator, and the PUR-1 12 kW fission nuclear research reactor were utilized, respectively. Irradiation absorbed doses ranged from 1 to 100 kGy. Acetone bath temperature was varied from ~40 °C to ~54 °C. Results revealed a strong dependence of MLD on acetone bath temperature between neutron and gamma photon dose components; this allowed for the unique ability of PLAD to potentially perform as both a neutron-cum-gamma or as a gamma or neutron radiation dosimeter and intensity level detector. A linear trend is found for combined neutron and gamma radiation doses from 0 to 40 kGy when dissolution is conducted above 50 °C. The important potential ability to distinguish neutron from gamma radiation fields was scoped and found to be feasible by determining MLD at 45 °C. The potential was studied for simultaneous use as an in-core neutron and gamma monitor of an operating 3 GWt light-water reactor (LWR). Scoping tests were conducted with the pre-irradiated (@ 20 °C) PLAD resin beads followed by heating to in-core LWR coolant (300 °C) conditions for ~30 s corresponding to the time to reach ~40 kGy total doses in a typical 3 GWt LWR. MLD results were unaffected, indicating the exciting and unique potential for in situ (low-cost, accurate and rapid) simultaneous mapping of neutron and gamma radiation fluxes, related dosimetry, and fission power level monitoring. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:37:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0ac1ad38ed0b423283f666fedd215e71 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2410-390X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:37:50Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Instruments |
| spelling | doaj.art-0ac1ad38ed0b423283f666fedd215e712023-11-19T11:15:52ZengMDPI AGInstruments2410-390X2023-09-01732610.3390/instruments7030026A Novel, Rapid Response Renewable Biopolymer Neutron and Gamma Radiation Solid-State Detector for Dosimetry and Nuclear Reactor Flux-Power MappingWen Jiang0True Miller1Troy Barlow2Nathan Boyle3Rusi P. Taleyarkhan4School of Nuclear Engineering, College of Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USASchool of Nuclear Engineering, College of Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USASchool of Nuclear Engineering, College of Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USASchool of Nuclear Engineering, College of Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USASchool of Nuclear Engineering, College of Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USAA novel solid-state neutron and gamma radiation monitor-dosimeter based on biopolymer polylactic acid (PLA) is presented. The resulting detector (PLAD) technology takes advantage of property changes of the renewable PLA resin when subject to ionizing nuclear radiation. A simple yet rapid and accurate (±10%) low-cost (<$0.01/detector) mass loss upon dissolution (MLD) technique was successfully developed; MLD is based on a simple mass balance for discerning neutron and/or gamma doses using small (40 mg, ~4 mm diameter) ultra-low-cost (<$0.01) resin beads via dissolution in acetone. The GammaCell<sup>TM</sup> Co-60 irradiator, and the PUR-1 12 kW fission nuclear research reactor were utilized, respectively. Irradiation absorbed doses ranged from 1 to 100 kGy. Acetone bath temperature was varied from ~40 °C to ~54 °C. Results revealed a strong dependence of MLD on acetone bath temperature between neutron and gamma photon dose components; this allowed for the unique ability of PLAD to potentially perform as both a neutron-cum-gamma or as a gamma or neutron radiation dosimeter and intensity level detector. A linear trend is found for combined neutron and gamma radiation doses from 0 to 40 kGy when dissolution is conducted above 50 °C. The important potential ability to distinguish neutron from gamma radiation fields was scoped and found to be feasible by determining MLD at 45 °C. The potential was studied for simultaneous use as an in-core neutron and gamma monitor of an operating 3 GWt light-water reactor (LWR). Scoping tests were conducted with the pre-irradiated (@ 20 °C) PLAD resin beads followed by heating to in-core LWR coolant (300 °C) conditions for ~30 s corresponding to the time to reach ~40 kGy total doses in a typical 3 GWt LWR. MLD results were unaffected, indicating the exciting and unique potential for in situ (low-cost, accurate and rapid) simultaneous mapping of neutron and gamma radiation fluxes, related dosimetry, and fission power level monitoring.https://www.mdpi.com/2410-390X/7/3/26radiation detectiondosimetryneutrongammareactorPLAD |
| spellingShingle | Wen Jiang True Miller Troy Barlow Nathan Boyle Rusi P. Taleyarkhan A Novel, Rapid Response Renewable Biopolymer Neutron and Gamma Radiation Solid-State Detector for Dosimetry and Nuclear Reactor Flux-Power Mapping Instruments radiation detection dosimetry neutron gamma reactor PLAD |
| title | A Novel, Rapid Response Renewable Biopolymer Neutron and Gamma Radiation Solid-State Detector for Dosimetry and Nuclear Reactor Flux-Power Mapping |
| title_full | A Novel, Rapid Response Renewable Biopolymer Neutron and Gamma Radiation Solid-State Detector for Dosimetry and Nuclear Reactor Flux-Power Mapping |
| title_fullStr | A Novel, Rapid Response Renewable Biopolymer Neutron and Gamma Radiation Solid-State Detector for Dosimetry and Nuclear Reactor Flux-Power Mapping |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Novel, Rapid Response Renewable Biopolymer Neutron and Gamma Radiation Solid-State Detector for Dosimetry and Nuclear Reactor Flux-Power Mapping |
| title_short | A Novel, Rapid Response Renewable Biopolymer Neutron and Gamma Radiation Solid-State Detector for Dosimetry and Nuclear Reactor Flux-Power Mapping |
| title_sort | novel rapid response renewable biopolymer neutron and gamma radiation solid state detector for dosimetry and nuclear reactor flux power mapping |
| topic | radiation detection dosimetry neutron gamma reactor PLAD |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2410-390X/7/3/26 |
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