Pulse radiolysis apparatus

Abstract

Apparatus for investigating the kinetics of radiation induced chemical reactions is described. It is used with a 4 Mev linear electron accelerator which is arranged to give any dose from a few tens of rads up to about 10 kilorads, to a small liquid sample in a single pulse lasting either 2.0 or 0.2 μsec. An optical system, in conjunction with a light source, a photodetector and a cathode-ray oscilloscope, is used to investigate the time variation in concentration of optically absorbing chemical species produced by the radiation. The importance of proper design of the optical system, if maximum sensitivity is required, is stressed. Shot noise in the photodetector is a natural limitation to the sensitivity of the method, when measurements are made in the microsecond region, and it is therefore necessary to get as much light as possible through the irradiation cell.