Thermoluminescence (TL) Response Of Gamma-Irradiated Raw Material And The Influence Of Doping By Different Activators

Abstract

Thermoluminescence of raw materials has been frequently employed to determine the exposure dose as well as effective energy of gamma radiation. In this work, thermoluminescence (TL) properties of cement clinker (C) and its ferrite phase (F) doped with different activators such as CaF2 CaCl2, LiF, MgF2 and ZnO were studied. The phosphors were prepared by sintering method at 1450°C for half an hour for cement clinker and at 1320°C for half an hour for its ferrite phase. The obtained glow curves for both cement clinker and its ferrite phase have two major peaks at about 90°C and 248°C. The addition of impurities enhances the TL intensity of the two peaks. The optimum concentration of the dopant which gives maximum TL sensitivity is determined. The most effective dopants which increase the TL sensitivity of the phosphors are CaCl2 and LiF at concentration 1.5% and 1% by wt respectively. It is found that the TL intensity of each peak increases with increasing radiation doses. It is found that cement clinker and its ferrite phase containing CaCl2 and LiF are highly sensitive to gamma radiation.