Preparation and evaluation of crosslinked plastic scintillation microspheres (CPSm)

Abstract

Plastic scintillators in the form of microspheres (PSm) have emerged as a sustainable solution for the determination of alpha and beta radioactivity, reducing hazardous wastes and improved selectivity when combined with selective extractants (PSresin). To overcome challenges like solubility in organic solvents, researchers have developed crosslinked scintillating microspheres (CPSm) using divinylbenzene (DVB) as a crosslinking agent. This study focuses on optimizing CPSm synthesis and assessing their morphological characteristics, resistance and scintillation capabilities. The findings indicate that increasing the DVB proportion in the monomeric mixture leads to a reduction in microsphere size while maintaining high detection efficiency. CPSm demonstrate enhanced resilience to temperature and organic solvents compared to PSm. Despite some solute extraction by specific solvents, CPSm maintain their essential properties. In summary, CPSm provide similar scintillation performance to linear polystyrene PSm while offering increased durability, broadening their applicability and facilitating further advancements in plastic scintillator technology.