Factors determining radiation stability of plastic scintillators

Polystyrene (PS) and polyvinylxylene (PVX) are the base materials for plastic scintillators. u.v.-Vis spectrophotometry, luminescence and ESR spectroscopy were performed on irradiated samples of PS and PVX with the p-terphenyl (TP) as the primary luminophore and 1,4-di-2(5-phenyloxazolyl-1,3)benzene (POPOP) as the secondary one. Dependence of the radioluminescence intensity of the scintillators on the concentration of the macroradicals formed by irradiation was investigated. Dose dependence of the radiation stability of scintillators is discussed.