Modification of etching properties of a newly developed nuclear track detector called allyl bis-(2-nitroxy-ethyl) carbomate (ABNEC)–allyl diglycol carbonate (ADC) copolymer [ABNEC:ADC (1:9)] by gamma irradiation Amol Mhatre • Vivek Chavan • P. C. Kalsi • V. S. Nadkarni Received: 5 May 2010 / Published online: 22 May 2010 Ó Akade ´miai Kiado ´, Budapest, Hungary 2010 Abstract The gamma irradiation effects on the bulk etch rate, V b of an indigenously prepared new nuclear track detector which is a copolymer of allyl bis-(2-nitroxy-ethyl) carbomate (ABNEC) and allyl diglycol carbonate (ADC) [ABNEC:ADC (1:9)] were studied in the dose range of 25.0–250.0 kGy and etching temperature range of 60– 80 °C. The bulk etch rates increase and the activation energy values for bulk etching of gamma-irradiated detectors decrease with the increase in gamma dose indi- cating the scission of the detector. UV–visible spectra of the unirradiated and the irradiated films were also taken to explore the possibility of using this new detector for gamma dose measurements. Keywords Etching properties Á Bulk etch rate V b Á [ABNEC:ADC (1:9)] newly developed nuclear track detector Á Modification Á Gamma irradiation Introduction Recently we have prepared a new track detector [1] which is a copolymer of allyl bis-(2-nitroxy-ethyl) carbomate (ABNEC) and allyl diglycol carbonate (ADC) [AB- NEC:ADC(1:9)]. One of the main parameters that control track formation in the track detectors is the bulk etch rate [2], V b . The bulk etch rate is the rate of removing of the undamaged surface of the detector. Due to the chemical reaction between the etching solution called etchant and the detector material, some molecules of the detectors are removed. The final effect is the removal of the material from the detector surface. During etching, the material is removed layer by layer and the thickness of the detector becomes smaller and smaller. Dependence of V b of nuclear track detectors on parameters such as the preparation pro- cedures, irradiation before etching, environmental condi- tions, etc., must be taken into account [3–5]. The dependence of V b on pre gamma-irradiated samples of this new track detector in the dose range of 25.0–250.0 kGy and etching temperature range of 60–80 °C was therefore studied. The possibility of using this new track detector for gamma dose measurements was also studied using UV– visible spectroscopy. Experimental The effects of gamma irradiation on the bulk etch rate in the dose range of 25.0–250.0 kGy and etching temperature range of 60–80 °C were studied for this new track detector. For the gamma irradiation, the detector pieces each of thickness about 600 lm and size about 2 cm 2 in area were placed in polyethylene sachets and the irradiation was carried out with 60 Co gamma rays in air at a dose rate of 2 kGy/h using the gamma irradiator of Radiochemistry Division [6], BARC. The samples were uniformly irradi- ated for various times and the total gamma doses obtained were 25.0, 60.0, 120.0 and 250.0 kGy. The bulk etch rates, V b of the unirradiated, 25.0, 60.0, 120.0 and 250.0 kGy gamma-irradiated detectors were determined by the chemical etching method based on the initial thickness of the detector and loss in weight of the A. Mhatre Á V. Chavan Á P. C. Kalsi (&) Radiochemistry Division, BARC, Trombay, Mumbai 400085, India e-mail: pckalsi@barc.gov.in V. S. Nadkarni Chemistry Department, Goa University, Goa 403206, India 123 J Radioanal Nucl Chem (2010) 286:99–101 DOI 10.1007/s10967-010-0617-2