Study of the effect of laponite on Fricke xylenol orange gel dosimeter by optical techniques

• Published in: Sensors and actuators. B, Chemical Chemical, 2018-11, Vol.272, p.618-625
• Main Authors: Gallo, Salvatore, Cremonesi, Luca, Gambarini, Grazia, Ianni, Luca, Lenardi, Cristina, Argentiere, Simona, Bettega, Daniela, Gargano, Marco, Ludwig, Nicola, Veronese, Ivan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Diffusion coefficient; Dynamic light scattering; Fricke gel dosimeter; Laponite; Optical absorbance spectra
• ISSN: 0925-4005; 1873-3077
• DOI: 10.1016/j.snb.2018.05.153

•Nano-sized clay particles can be incorporated into Fricke Xylenol Orange gel dosimeters.•The addition of nanoparticles does not impair the dosimetric properties of Fricke gels.•The dose-response curve of Fricke gels depends on the wavelength used for the optical analysis.•The addition of laponite in Fricke Xylenol Orange gel dosimeters does not improve the ferric ions diffusion rate. Optical absorbance and dynamic light scattering studies of Fricke xylenol orange gel dosimeters loaded with laponite were carried out with the aim to investigate possible effects of nanoparticles on the dosimetric properties and diffusion phenomena of ferric ions. A procedure for incorporating laponite nano-sized clay particles into the gel dosimeters, prepared using porcine gelatine as gelling agent, was successfully developed. The shape of the optical absorbance spectra of the gel dosimeters in the wavelength interval 350–750 nm have shown a slight dependence on the nanoparticles concentration and varied with the absorbed dose. All studied gel exhibited a linear dose response in the investigated interval 0–22 Gy. Neither the sensitivity to the radiation dose nor the diffusion coefficient were significantly altered by the addition of laponite into the Fricke xylenol orange gel formulation employed.