Dosimeter with conducting layer
View Patent ↗An element for ascertaining radiation dosage comprising: a flexible polymeric support, a first coated layer, said coated layer comprising a electrically conducting material and a binder and a second coated layer, said coated layer comprising a binder and alanine wherein the alanine, upon exposure to ionizing radiation, produces radicals that remain stable for long periods of time.
1. An element for ascertaining radiation dosage comprising:
a flexible polymeric support, a first coated layer, said first coated layer comprising an electrically conducting material and a first binder and a second coated layer, said second coated layer comprising a second binder and alanine wherein the alanine, upon exposure to ionizing radiation, produces radicals that remain stable for long periods of time, wherein the binder of the second coated layer is a polymer or polymer blend whose permeability ×10 13 to water or water vapor is less than 100 cm 3 (at STP)×cm/(cm 2 ×s ×Pa), wherein s is the time in seconds and Pa is the pressure in Pascals.
2. The element of claim 1 wherein the conducting material is an electronic conductor whose conductivity is independent of relative humidity.
3. The element of claim 2 wherein the electronic conductor is a particulate conductor dispersed in a binder.
4. The element of claim 2 wherein the electronic conductor is a finely divided metal oxide.
5. The element of claim 2 wherein the electronic conductor is a polymeric conductor.
6. The element of claim 5 wherein the polymeric electronic conductor is polythiophene.
7. The element of claim 1 wherein the electrically conducting material is coated on the side of the support opposite the alanine-containing layer.
8. The element of claim 1 wherein the electrically conducting material is coated on the same side of the support as the alanine-containing layer.
9. The element of claim 1 wherein the electrically conducting material is coated over the alanine-containing layer.
10. The element of claim 1 wherein the alanine is in crystalline form.
11. The element of claim 1 wherein a surface of the support is entirely or partially covered by the second, alanine-containing, coated layer.
12. The element of claim 1 wherein the support is a polyethylene film, a polyamide film, a polyimide film, a polypropylene film, a polycarbonate, a cellulosic support, or a polyester support.
13. The element of claim 1 wherein the support is ordinary paper, processed paper, coated paper, art paper, baryta paper, or resin-coated paper.
14. The element of claim 1 wherein the support is between 2 and 14 mils. in thickness.
15. The element of claim 1 wherein the support is between 6 and 10 mils. in thickness.
16. The element of claim 1 wherein the support is a pigmented polyester.
17. The element of claim 1 wherein the support is white polyester pigmented with titanium dioxide or barium sulfate.
18. The element of claim 1 wherein at least one side of the support has on it an adhesion promoting layer.
19. The element of claim 10 wherein the crystalline alanine comprises particles less than 100 microns in size.
20. The element of claim 10 wherein the crystalline alanine comprises particles between 1 and 40 microns in size.
21. The element of claim 1 wherein the binder of the second coated layer is an elastomeric binder whose elongation to break is at least 10%.
22. The element of claim 1 wherein the binder of the second coated layer is a solvent soluble polyester, a vinyl elastomer, or a polyurethane.
23. The element of claim 1 wherein the binder of the second coated layer is an ethylene-vinylacetate copolymer, an alkyl methacrylate or an acrylates with more than 3 carbon atoms.
24. The element of claim 1 wherein the binder of the second coated layer is an aromatic polyurethane or an aliphatic polyurethane.
25. The element of claim 1 wherein the binder of the second coated layer is a polymer or polymer blend whose permeability ×10 13 to water or water vapor is less than 10 cm 3 (at STP)×cm/(cm 2 ×s ×Pa), where s is the time in seconds and Pa is the pressure in Pascals.
26. The element of claim 1 wherein the binder of the second coated layer is a copolymer containing vinylidene fluoride or vinylidene chloride.
27. The element of claim 1 wherein the binder of the second coated layer is a polymer blend of poly(methyl methacrylate) and a vinylidene fluoride-containing copolymer.
28. The element of claim 1 wherein the binder of the second coated layer is between 10 and 80 weight percent of the final, second coated layer.
29. The element of claim 1 wherein the binder of the second coated layer is between 35 and 50 weight percent of the second coated layer.
30. The element of claim 1 wherein the second coated layer comprising a binder and an alanine contains other additives.
31. The element of claim 30 wherein the other additives include amorphous silica or alumina.
32. The element of claim 31 wherein the amorphous silica or alumina is present in amounts from 0.1 to 5% of the weight of the alanine.
33. The element of claim 30 wherein the additive is silica at levels from 0.25-1% by weight of the alanine.
34. The element of claim 30 wherein the additive is a surfactant.
35. The element of claim 34 wherein the surfactant is present in amounts from 0.01-1% weight % of the alanine-containing dispersion.
36. The element of claim 1 wherein the second coated layer is between 100 and 200 microns thick.
37. The element of claim 1 wherein the second coated layer is between 125 and 175 microns thick.
38. The element of claim 1 further comprising a protective overcoat.