Development of plastic scintillator with better performance than the commercial counterpart (UPS-923A) and effect of fluorophore composition on light output

In this study we have synthesized polystyrene based plastic scintillators (PS) loaded with commercially available fluorophores like p-Terphenyl and 1,4-bis(5-phenyloxazol-2-yl) benzene (POPOP). Optimum concentration of the fluorophores in the synthesized PS was determined. The PS exhibited 1.55 ± 0.05 times better light output than UPS-923A, a commercial PS. Emission maxima were obtained at 423 nm with an energy linearity of 99.78% up to 1.061 MeV. Radiation damage of PS by Co-60 irradiation led to 22.3% loss of light yield at 50 kGy radiation dose which is better than the commercial one. The loss of light output in the PS due to radiation damage was because of the degradation of polystyrene matrix rather than the fluorophores. •Styrene was thermally polymerized with fluorophores to form plastic scintillator.•The fluorophore composition was optimized to get the maximum light yield.•The plastic scintillator exhibited ∼1.55 times better light output than UPS-923A.•Synthesized plastic scintillator exhibited energy linearity of 99.78% upto1.061 MeV.•Radiation hardness of synthesized plastic scintillator outweighs the reported ones.