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Characterization by micro-Raman spectroscopy of polymeric materials used as nuclear track detectors reveals physico-chemical and morphological information on the material's molecular structure. In this work, the nuclear track detector poly(allyl diglycol carbonate), or Columbia Resin 39 (CR-39), was characterized according to the fluence of alpha particles produced by a (226)Ra source and chemical etching time. Therefore, damage of the CR-39 chemical structure due to the alpha-particle interaction with the detector was analyzed at the molecular level. It was observed that the ionization and molecular excitation of the CR-39 after the irradiation process entail cleavage of chemical bonds and formation of latent track. In addition, after the chemical etching, there is also loss of polymer structure, leading to the decrease of the group density C-O-C (∼888 cm(-1)), CH=CH (∼960 cm(-1)), C-O (∼1110 cm(-1)), C-O-C (∼1240 cm(-1)), C-O (∼1290 cm(-1)), C=O (∼1741 cm(-1)), -CH2- (∼2910 cm(-1)), and the main band -CH2- (∼2950 cm(-1)). The analyses performed after irradiation and chemical etching led to a better understanding of the CR-39 molecular structure and better comprehension of the process of the formation of the track, which is related to chemical etching kinetics.

Macusanite is a volcanic glass extracted from the volcanic field Macusani -Peru, formed by the fast cooling of magma. This study shows physical and chemical characterization of Macusanite samples to better understand its molecular structure, elemental composition as well as to investigate the presence of natural inclusions. The characterization of the natural glass can give valuable geological information about the magma composition, the eruption intensity and age of volcanism activity. Moreover, the use of different characterization techniques can help in mineral prospecting. Macusanite was characterized by X-Ray Diffraction/Fluorescence (XRD/XRF), Optical Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and micro-Raman spectroscopy. The latter suggests the presence of andalusite mineral incorporated in the glass structure, while the Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) analysis indicates the presence of some rich calcium inclusion. Moreover, XRD shows the glass characteristic amorphous band and that the sample is in the glassy stage.

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