Effect of gamma irradiation on the physical and structural properties of basalt fiber.

Digital holographic interferometry (DHI), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to study the effects of gamma irradiation on the physical and structural properties of basalt fibers. For this purpose, set samples of basalt fibers were subjected to different doses of gamma irradiation (3, 10, 25, and 40 kGy). The Mach-Zehnder interferometer was used to capture holographic patterns which are used then to determine the unwrapped phase. From the unwrapped phase distributions, the optical path difference within the irradiated basalt samples was determined. Thus, refractive indices, and birefringence of irradiated basalt fibers were determined at different irradiation doses using DHI method. XRD technique was used to investigate the effect of irradiation doses on the crystalline behavior of fibers. FTIR was performed to each of the basalt samples to evaluate the changes in the surface chemical properties due to radiation exposure doses. The morphology of irradiated fibers was examined using SEM. The results indicate that basalt fiber has a resistance to gamma radiation. There are no significant effects on the physical, structural and chemical properties were demonstrated of basalt fibers in the doses range of irradiation.