Chemical Dosimetry with Doped Poly(Halostyrene) Film

Thin films of poly (halostyrenes) doped with malachite green methoxide have been shown to be effective chemical dosimeters for dose rates to <tex-math>$10^{14}\ \text{rads}/{\rm sec}$</tex-math> and cover the range in dose from <tex-math>$5\times 10^{14}\ \text{to}\ 1.5\times 10^{7}\ \text{rads}$</tex-math>. These materials form a stable distribution image of the radiation traversing the film and are particularly useful in connection with experiments using pulsed electron beam machines. From studies on the rate of appearance of color following exposure and on the molecular emission from solutions of leuco malachite greens, a metastable intermediate is found in the radiation and photochemical dissociation reaction. The radiation chemical sequence of events is summarized, and the leuco malachite greens are shown to be efficient energy scavengers in poly(halostyrene) hosts.