Polystyrene-based scintillator with pulse-shape discrimination capability

Polystyrene-based scintillators with 2-phenyl-5-(4-tert-butylephenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (tert-BuPPD) or 2,5-di-(3-methylphenyl)-1,3,4 oxadiazole (m-DMePPD) are proposed for pulse-shape n/γ-discrimination. These scintillators have improved mechanical properties, long operational time and high n/γ discrimination parameter – figure of merit (1.49 and 1.81 in a wide energy region), so they can be used as detectors of fast neutrons in the presence of gamma radiation background.