Evaluation of the potential for diacetylenes as reporter molecules in 3D micelle gel dosimetry

Abstract

Radiochromic micelle gel dosimeters are promising for three-dimensional (3D) radiation dosimetry because they can be read out by optical CT techniques and they have superior spatial stability compared to polymer and Fricke gel dosimeters. This study evaluates the use of diacetylenes as reporter molecules in micelle gel dosimeters. Several gels containing pentacosa-10,12-diynoic acid (PCDA) emulsified using sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) changed from colourless to blue upon irradiation. Unfortunately, all phantoms that experienced a colour change were turbid and would be unsuitable for 3D dosimetry. Two techniques (use of organic solvent and aqueous-phase additives) were successful in increasing colloidal stability to prevent the turbidity problem, but none of the resulting transparent gels changed colour in response to radiation. Transparent PCDA emulsions were prepared using NaOH solutions with no SDS or other emulsifier, but these transparent emulsions also did not change colour. Only turbid gels and emulsions with precipitated particles responded to radiation. These results indicate that the colour change was due to the oligomerization within precipitated PCDA crystals, and that liquid-phase emulsified PCDA did not undergo oligomerization. As a result, PCDA is not suitable for use in micelle gel dosimeters, and other radiochromic reporter molecules will need to be identified.