dosimetric evaluation of tld calcium phosphate pellets produced by sps and pls sintering methods

This study investigates the thermoluminescent (tl) behavior of calcium phosphate-based ceramic pellets, hydroxyapatite (hap) and ‎‎β-tricalcium phosphate (‎β‎-tcp), fabricated using two distinct sintering techniques: spark plasma sintering (sps) and pressureless sintering (pls). the main objective was to evaluate how the fabrication route and powder origin influence the dosimetric characteristics of these materials. pellets were prepared from both laboratory-synthesized and commercially obtained powders and irradiated with ‎γ‎-rays from a co-60 source in the dose range of 20 to 800 gy. the results revealed that pellets derived from commercial powders exhibited comparable tl responses under both sintering techniques, while those produced from synthesized powders showed notable differences in tl intensity and linear dose-response range. the pls fabricated pellets displayed improved fading resistance and repeatability, maintaining a more stable tl signal over time compared with their sps counterparts. the influence of sintering conditions, powder type, and thermal history on the glow curve structure and kinetic parameters was also analyzed through deconvolution. overall, the findings indicate that the dosimetric response of calcium phosphate ceramics is strongly affected by both the sintering method and the powder origin. although further investigations using additional radiation sources are required, the obtained results highlight the potential of these materials for high-dose tl dosimetry applications.