The Application of Neutron Topography to the Study of X-ray Sensitive Organic Crystals - a Possible Alternative to X-ray Topography.

Abstract

ABSTRACTNeutron topography has been carried out on organic single crystals of varying Xray sensitivity, in order to test the feasibility of the technique as an alternative to X-ray topography for the study of the influence of defects on the solid state reactivity of X-ray sensitive single crystals. Specimens studied include the diacetylene PTS, and Pyrene. A comparison of the strain sensitivity and spatial resolution of the neutron and X-ray based techniques is made. Preliminary results of dynamic neutron topographic studies of the UV induced polymerization in PTS are presented. These results are compared to those obtained from similar X-ray topographic studies.Results indicate that the neutron technique can be a useful ally technique to the analogous X-ray techniques in studies of the influence of defects on reactivity in specimens of moderate X-ray sensitivity. In cases of extreme sensitivity, the neutron technique is the only one available for studies of this nature.