Thermoluminescence characterization of biochar material for dosimetric applications

The purpose of this work is to evaluate the appropriateness of biochar, a carbon-rich substance developed from biowaste, as a passive radiation dosimeter by examining its structural and thermoluminescence (TL) properties. Various parameters related to the TL dosimetry of commercially available and eco-friendly biochar were analyzed, including effective atomic number, reproducibility, TL glow curve, dose-response linearity, sensitivity, and fading. The acquired results demonstrate that the response of the tissue equivalent biochar is linear with greater sensitivity to gamma-ray doses ranging between 2 and 200 Gy, along with excellent repeatability within a 3 % standard deviation. Fading studies conducted in both light and dark environments revealed a TL signal loss of 17 % after 28 days in an ambient light environment and 19 % in a dark room condition. Confocal Raman spectroscopy was employed to analyze the vibrational spectra and structural changes induced by radiation. Structural alterations within the examined dose range were further validated by measuring crystallite size (Lc), dislocation density (δ), lattice strain (ε), and FWHM (full width at half maximum) from XRD (X-ray diffraction) patterns. Based on these findings, biochar demonstrates promising dosimetric properties and can be developed into a cost-effective radiation dosimeter for industrial and medical applications.