IMPROVED RADIOCHROMIC DOSIMETERS

WE PROPOSE A COMBINED PROGRAM OF ANALYSIS AND ACCELERATED AGING TO DETERMINE THE ORIGIN OF INSTABILITIES IN FLUID SOLUTIONS OF THE RADIOCHROMIC DYES USED IN OPTICAL WAVEGUIDE DOSIMETERS. CHROMATOGRAPHIC AND SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC TECHNIQUES WILL BE USED TO SEPARATE AND IDENTIFY IMPURITIES IN DYES AND SOLVENTS USED IN THESE SOLUTIONS. THERMALLY ACCELERATED AGING WILL BE ATTEMPTED TO IDENTIFY THE PRECURSORS AND PRODUCTS OF THE UNDESIRABLE REACTIONS LEADING TO SOLUTIONS YELLOWING. METHODS WILL BE PROPOSED, BASED ON THE ANALYTICAL AND ACCELERATED AGING PROGRAMS, TO STABILIZE THESE SOLUTIONS. SOLID, POLYMERIC SOLUTIONS OF RADIOCHROMIC DYES WILL BE EXPLORED AS POTENTIALLY MORE STABLE, MORE EASILY USED REPLACEMENTS FOR THE LIQUID CORE OPTICAL WAVEGUIDES.