Glass-Based Bone-Equivalent Retrospective Dosimeters: A Comprehensive Review of Thermoluminescence and Structural...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Radiation Dosimetry
• Nuclear Engineering

Background:

• Glass materials are explored as retrospective dosimeters for assessing radiation doses after large-scale radioactive incidents.
• These materials offer advantages like high spatial resolution, sensitivity, and water resistance in medical and industrial applications.
• Existing research highlights their potential for measuring unintentional radiation exposures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a comparative analysis of various glass materials for retrospective radiation dosimetry.
• To link thermoluminescence (TL) response, effective atomic number (Zeff), dose-response behavior, and radiation-induced structural changes.
• To evaluate the potential of glass materials as bone-equivalent retrospective dosimeters.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and rigorous assessment of scientific research on glass materials for dosimetry.
• Comparative analysis of thermoluminescence (TL) response, effective atomic number (Zeff), and dose-response relationships.
• Evaluation of radiation-induced structural alterations using morphological and structural analysis.

Main Results:

• Effective atomic numbers (Zeff) of glasses ranged from 9.23 to 15.1, aligning with bone's Zeff.
• Thermoluminescence (TL) intensity showed a strong correlation with radiation dose, with glow curves between 150-273 °C.
• Dose-dependent structural alterations in glass samples were confirmed.

Conclusions:

• Glass materials demonstrate potential as bone-equivalent retrospective dosimeters due to their properties and TL response.
• Despite limitations like long-term stability and optical bleaching, glasses offer efficacy in post-accidental radiation evaluation.
• This study provides a comprehensive framework for understanding glass-based retrospective dosimetry.