Bulk etch rates of CR-39 at high etchant concentrations: diffusion-limited etching
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Bulk etch rates of CR-39 at high etchant concentrations: diffusionlimited etching E. M. Awad1 • M. A. Rana2
•
Mushtaq Abed Al-Jubbori3
Received: 18 August 2020 / Revised: 17 October 2020 / Accepted: 19 October 2020 China Science Publishing & Media Ltd. (Science Press), Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Nuclear Society and Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
Abstract Systematic CR-39 bulk etching experiments were conducted over a wide range of concentrations (2–30 N) of NaOH-based etchant. Critical analysis and a deep discussion of the results are presented. A comprehensive nuclear track chemical etching data bank was developed. Three regimes of CR-39 bulk etching were identified. Regime I spans etchant concentrations from 2 to 12 N. Regime II spans concentrations from 12 to 25 N. We call this the dynamic bulk etching regime. Regime III is for concentrations greater than 25 N. In this regime, the bulk etch rate is saturated with respect to the etchant concentration. This classification is discussed and explained. The role of ethanol in NaOH-based etchants is explored and discussed. A parameter called the ‘‘reduced bulk etch rate’’ is defined here, which helps in analyzing the dependence of bulk etching on the amount of ethanol in the etchant. The bulk etch rate shows a natural logarithmic dependence on the density of ethanol in the etchant. Keywords CR-39 detector Ethanol Bulk etch rate Reduced bulk etch rate Diffusion-limited etching Concentration-limited etching
& Mushtaq Abed Al-Jubbori [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] 1
Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Koom, Menoufia 32511, Egypt
2
MERADD, Instrumentation Control and Computer Complex (ICCC), PARAS Building, 18-KM Multan Road, P.O. Chung, Lahore, Pakistan
3
Department of Physics, College of Education for Pure Sciences, University of Mosul, Mosul 41001, Iraq
1 Introduction A latent or ion track is a damage trail, created by an energetic charged particle, in an insulating solid, commonly known as a solid-state nuclear track detector (SSNTD) [1–3]. The diameter of the latent tracks varies from 2 to 10 nm. Details regarding the structure of latent tracks can be found in several studies [4–7]. Latent tracks can be magnified to the micrometer scale, using appropriate chemical etching, to make them measurable using optical microscopy. Etched tracks are called nuclear tracks, and chemical etching is therefore an essential step in nuclear track detection techniques [8–14]. CR-39 is a highly sensitive and commonly used nuclear track detector [15, 16]. Chemical etching of CR-39 in NaOH/H2O is a complex process, requiring further study and refinement. It becomes more complex when different amounts of ethanol are added to the NaOH/H2O etching solution [16–19]. Chemical etching and related methodologies for CR-39 detectors have been recently investigated by Rana [20] and Awad et al.
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