INVESTIGATION OF Tb~(3+) ION FLUORESCENCE PROPERTIES IN γ -IRRADIATED POLY(ETHYLENE OXIDE)-TbCl_3 BLENDED SYSTEMS

摘要

Degradation of polymers by γ-irradiation using Tb~(3+) ion as a fluorescence probe was investigated. When poly(ethylene oxide) blended with TbCl_3 films were γ-irradiated in air, the fluorescence intensity of Tb~(3+) was found to be greatly increased and the molecular weights of PEO were decreased. These results suggest that radiolysis caused chain degradation of PEO and produced carbonyl groups at the end of the cleaved polymer chain. The chromophore moiety produced transfers energy to Tb~(3+) ion located within the non-irradiative energy transfer distance. It is suggested that blended films of PEO with Tb~(3+) may be used as convenient and fast detectors of γ-irradiation doses.