Interaction of tritium atoms with solid composite targets: Adsorption layers of nonionic surfactants on hydrophobic supports

• Published in: Radiochemistry (New York, N.Y.) N.Y.), 2009-10, Vol.51 (5), p.521-523
• Main Authors: Tyasto, Z. A., Badun, G. A., Chernysheva, M. G., Korobkov, V. I.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chemistry/Food Science; Nuclear Chemistry
• ISSN: 1066-3622; 1608-3288
• DOI: 10.1134/S1066362209050154

The capability of tritium atoms to penetrate deep into solids was used for revealing nonuniformity of coating of polymeric [polyethylene, poly(ethylene terephthalate)] supports by adsorption layers of a nonionic surfactant Brij-35, formed by adsorption from aqueous solutions. The permeability to atomic tritium of Brij-35 adsorption layers on polyethylene appeared to be close to that obtained for hydrocarbon fragments of cationic surfactants in adsorption layers on the water/air boundary. A decrease in the coefficients of attenuation of the tritium atom flow at formation of adsorption polylayers was revealed. This decrease suggests less ordered structure of the polylayers relative to the monolayer. The developed approach involving preparation of adsorption coatings of tritium-labeled surfactants, their treatment with tritium atoms, and subsequent removal of the surfactant from the support, with the autoradiographic detection of tritium distribution on the plate in all the steps of the work, can be used for studying the structure of surfactant adsorption layers on flat solid surfaces.