PLASTIC SCINTILLATOR MATERIALS, PLASTIC SCINTILLATORS COMPRISING SUCH MATERIALS AND METHOD FOR DISTINGUISHING NEUTRONS FROM GAMMA RAYS USING SAID SCINTILLATORS

摘要

A plastic scintillator material comprising a polymeric matrix into which is Incorporated at least the one fluorescent compound at a mass concentration greater than or equal to 10% by mass of the total mass of the material, wherein the polymeric matrix consists of a crosslinked polymer obtainable by polymerization of a mixture comprising at least one aromatic monomer and at least one monomer playing the role of a cross-linking agent selected from among alkyl diacrylates, alkyl dimethacrylates, and mixtures thereof, the molar proportions of the monomer playing the role of a crosslinking agent and of the aromatic monomer in the mixture being from 10% to 50% and from 90% to 50%, respectively.;A plastic scintillator prepared by shaping said material.;A method for discriminating a signal due to fast neutrons, optionally a signal due to thermal neutrons, and a signal due to gamma rays in radiation comprising fast neutrons, optionally thermal neutrons, and gamma rays emitted by a mixed source, wherein the plastic scintillator is exposed to said radiation emitted by the mixed source and the signal due to fast neutrons is separated from the signal due to gamma rays, and optionally from the signal due to thermal neutrons by pulse shape discrimination (PSD).