Novel environmental radiation dosimeter—Mn:CaF2 transparent glass ceramic: Dependence of thermoluminescence performance on slag addition and crystallisation behaviour

Abstract

A new thermoluminescence (TL) material, Mn:CaF2 transparent glass ceramic, was prepared from silicomanganese slag, and its feasibility as thermoluminescence dosimeter (TLD) for environmental radiation dose detection was verified for the first time. When added 19.28 wt% slag and heat-treated at 710 °C, the samples showed better sensitivity to absorbed radiation, along with a linear dose response characteristic ranging from 50 to 500 Gy. Moreover, the irradiated samples should be stored in dark environment for less than 40 days. The reproducibility of glow curves could be achieved after annealing at 300 °C for 20 min before the next irradiation. Finally, the kinetic parameters were calculated and the glow mechanism was clarified. The results indicate show that the new TL material, Mn:CaF2 transparent glass ceramic prepared using silicomanganese slag, is a potential candidate for radiation detection applications, which also provides a new and valuable approach for the resource utilisation of silicomanganese slag.