A study for gamma attenuation behavior of polyimide (PI) film by MPPC

Abstract

Although lead is a very good radiation shielding material, its toxicity has led researchers to find alternative materials instead of it. Moreover, as the use of Kapton polyimide (PI) film in nuclear power plants and space exploration increases, the need to reveal the radiation degradation properties of this material has come along. In this regard, in the present study, it is aimed to determine the mass and linear attenuation coefficients, half value layer, tenth value layer, mean free path and radiation protection efficiency attenuation parameters for this material, experimentally and theoretically, by using the gammas of the ¹³³Ba radioisotope. Experimental gamma attenuation measurements were made by a spectrometer using a Hamamatsu multi pixel photon counter device with a silicon photomultiplier sensor. The constant fraction discrimination timing method was used to reduce the electronic noise of the spectrometer. The attenuation parameters determined experimentally by following two ways were compared with the theoretical ones obtained from the XCOM program.

KEYWORDS:

• Kapton polyimide film
• gamma degradation
• attenuation parameters
• ¹³³Ba

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye under project No. 121F404.