Exploring the dose response of radiochromic dosimeters

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore the dose response of a newly developed radio-chromic hydrogel dosimeter based on leuco malachite green dye in a gelatine matrix. The original dosimeter composition was first investigated in terms of dose response and dose-rate dependence. In addition, the initiating compounds producing chlorine radicals were substituted with compounds producing fluorine radicals, oxygen-centered radicals, carbon-centered radicals and bromine radicals. Also the surfactant was substituted by other compounds of different molecular size and charge. The original composition gave a dose response of 3.5·10-3 Gy-1cm-1 at 6 Gy/min with a dose rate dependence giving a 27 % increase when decreasing the dose rate to 1 Gy/min. None of the substituted initiating components contributed to an increase in dose response while only one surfactant increased the dose response slightly.