The use of CH3OH additive to NaOH for etching alpha particle tracks in a CR-39 plastic nuclear track detector

• The value of bulk etching rate is equal to 2.73 μm/h.
• Fast detection of alpha particles in CR-39 detectors.
• Samples of CR-39 have been irradiated with fission fragments.
• Etching efficiency was determined.

Fast detection of alpha particles in CR-39 detectors was investigated using a new chemical etchant. 252Cf and 241Am sources were used for irradiating samples of CR-39 SSNTDs with fission fragments and alpha particles in air at normal temperature and pressure. A series of experimental chemical etching are carried out using new etching solution (8 ml of 10N NaOH+1 ml CH3OH) at 60 °C to detect alpha particle in short time in CR-39 detectors. Suitable analyzing software has been used to analyze experimental data. From fission and alpha track diameters, the value of bulk etching rate is equal to 2.73 μm/h. Both the sensitivity and etching efficiency were found to vary with the amount of methanol in the etching solution. Pure NaOH was used as a control to compare with the result from etching in NaOH with different concentrations of CH3OH. The etching efficiency is determined and compared with conventional aqueous solution of 6.25N NaOH at 70 °C for etching time equals 5 h. In this study, the obtained etching efficiency shows a considerable agreement with the previous work.