Durolon® polymer as a nuclear track detector

Abstract

This paper presents the properties of alpha particle tracks in a polymer, known as Durolon®. The study involves measurements of the time-dependent evolution of etch pit diameters and areal densities for low-energy alpha particles under various etching conditions, including different temperatures and solutions. A time-dependent model was successfully employed to describe the etch pit growth rates. Additionally, optical absorption and Raman spectroscopy techniques were applied to the samples under investigation, complementing the traditional results obtained through optical microscopy. The suitability of Durolon® polymer as a nuclear track detector is discussed based on the results obtained from the aforementioned complementary techniques. In summary, this research represents a critical step toward establishing Durolon® polymer as a viable nuclear track detector.