title: Discovery of new etchants for CR-39 detector.
abstract: After reporting the excellent etching properties of molten Ba(OH)2 8H2O as an etchant, we now report some more new and efficient etchants for CR-39 detector. CR-39 detectors were irradiated with fission fragments and alpha particles with a thin 252Cf source. The irradiated detectors were etched in a number of our newly introduced etching solutions as well as in conventionally used 6 M NaOH at 70 degrees C. The newly prepared etching solutions included NaOH/ethanol and NaOH/1-propanol. Processing conditions were optimized for these etchants. From fission and alpha track diameters, bulk etching velocity (VB), track etching velocity (VT), etching efficiency (eta) and their activation energies were determined and compared with that obtained for 6M NaOH at 70 degrees C.
authors.affiliation: Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), Islamabad, Pakistan. dr_matiullah@yahoo.com
authors.lastname: Matiullah
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rehman
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rehman
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zaman
mesh_terms: D000433:1-Propanol; D000512:Alpha Particles; D002142:Californium; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D009686:Nuclear Physics; D010969:Plastics; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011868:Radioisotopes; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D012997:Solvents; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D010969:Plastics; D011868:Radioisotopes; D012997:Solvents; C028827:CR 39; D000431:Ethanol; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide; D000433:1-Propanol; D002142:Californium