SCINTILLATION DETECTORS BASED ON POLY-2,4-DIMETHYLSTYRENE - STRUCTURAL PECULIARITIES AND RADIATION-DAMAGE

Scintillation detectors based on poly-2,4-dimethyl styrene (P-2,4-DMS) are studied. Investigated is the influence of two methyl groups prese nt in the benzene ring on the energy, spectral and structural characte ristics of the polymer. The said factors are assumed to result in the detectors high light output and radiation resistance. It is shown that under radiolysis (77 K) the radiation yield of the paramagnetic cente rs of P-2,4-DMS exceeds that of polystyrene (PST) by similar to 1.5. U nlike PST film, the luminescence spectra of P-2,4-DMS are characterize d by the presence of both excimer (320-340 nm) and monomer (292 nm) ba nds. Revealed are the distinctions in the nature of the optical charac teristics of macroradicals and the efficiency of energy transfer in ga mma-irradiated PST and P-2,4-DMS scintillators. The relation between t he supermolecular structure of the polymers and the interaction of the ir macroradicals with molecular O-2 is stated.