Superheated drops of R114—as a neutron spectrometer

The basic principle that has been used in the application of superheated drops in neutron spectrometry is its dependence of threshold energy of nucleation on temperature. In the present work, superheated drops of R114 suspended in a visco-elastic gel were irradiated at different temperatures by neutrons obtained from an ²⁴¹Am–Be source. The temperature of the detector was converted to the energy of the incident neutrons following the method developed by us to unfold the neutron energy spectrum. The threshold energy obtained by us agrees well with other results obtained using monochromatic neutron sources, clearly demonstrating the validity of our principle of spectrometry.     

Comparison of He and BF3 neutron detectors used to detect hydrogenous material buried in soil

Thermal neutrons detectors have been used for a long time and continue to be used to detect hydrogenous material. In this work, BF₃ and ³He detectors ability have been compared with each other to detect Polyethylene (PE) sample that was buried in soil. It was found that neither BF₃ nor ³He could detect PE sample without shields. This research shows that a thickness of 5 cm graphite is suitable shield for ³He detector that has been used to detect buried PE sample.     

Use of basic principle of nucleation in determining temperature–threshold neutron energy relationship in superheated emulsions

Detection of neutrons through use of superheated emulsions has been known for about two decades. The minimum neutron energy (threshold) required to nucleate drops of a given liquid has a dependence on the temperature of the liquid. The basic principle of nucleation has been utilized to find the relationship between the operating temperature and threshold neutron energy for superheated emulsions made of R-114 liquid. The threshold energy thus determined for different temperatures has been compared with accurate experimental results obtained using monoenergetic neutron sources. The agreement is found to be satisfactory and confirms the applicability of the present simple method to other liquids.     

An approximate simple formula for the shielding effect of the cadmium jacket designed for the use of fast neutrons among reactor neutrons

If a pneumatic tube in an experimental hole of a reactor is covered with a cadmium jacket, a sample inserted in the pneumatic tube will be exposed to not only fast and epithermal neutrons but also the few thermal neutrons that will not have been obstructed by the jacket. To obtain a simple method of estimation for the flux of these thermal neutrons, a formula has been made. The ratio of change in thermal-neutron flux due to the setting of the jacket has been expressed as a function of 5 dimensionless numbers. The formula enables one to design a well-proportioned jacket.     

Further Development of a Novel Neutron Detector Using the Single Event Upset Phenomenon in Dynamic Random Access Memories

The potential of using a commercially available 1 Mbit dRAM as a neutron detector within an improved neutron area monitor has been studied. The response of three manufacturers 1 Mbit dRAMs to low energy alpha particles from ¹⁴⁸Gd has been determined. Their use as a thermal neutron detector, by the application of a charged particle converter to the die surface, was also examined. Whilst it was demonstrated that they responded to low energy alpha particles their sensitivity to neutrons was found to be too low for them to be used within a neutron area monitor.     

Evaluation of imaging plate technique coupled with activation detector as the passive neutron monitor

The spatial distribution of neutrons was measured at the muon science laboratory of KEK by the activation detector method using an imaging plate for the radioactivity measurement. It was confirmed that this method is highly sensitive to detect the average neutron dose of 10 μSv/h. The distribution of thermal and epithermal neutrons was also measured in the experimental room. The cadmium ratio inside the experimental room is one except for the neutron leakage point. The spatial distribution of neutrons inside the concrete shield of KENS was measured by the same method. Aluminum and gold foils were used for the measurement of fast and thermal neutrons, respectively. Two dimensional change of the reaction rate of the ²⁷Al(n,α)²⁴Na reaction shows a good agreement with the results calculated by the Monte Carlo simulation using MARS14 code. Thermal and epithermal neutron flux ratio on the beam axis was measured by the cadmium ratio method. The flux ratios were about 30 and almost constant for every slot except for the surface of the shield, because the cadmium ratio is 2. This method was very useful to measure the activity of many pieces of detector simultaneously without any efficiency and decay correction. Wide dynamic range and high sensitivity are also the merit of this method.     

Superheated liquid and its place in radiation physics

Superheated liquid drops suspended in a visco-elastic gel (known as a superheated drop detector) or in a more rigid polymer matrix (known as a bubble detector) are known to be a useful tool in radiation physics. Superheated liquids have been used as radiation detectors in health physics, medical physics, space physics, nuclear and high energy physics. In addition, the physics of nucleation is not fully understood and requires further investigation. The present paper discusses the special features of a superheated drop detector which has made its place in almost all branches of radiation physics within 20 years of its discovery.     

Estimation of trace levels of plutonium in urine samples by fission track technique

Individual monitoring of radiation workers handling Pu in various nuclear installations requires the detection of trace levels of plutonium in bioassay samples. It is necessary to develop methods that can detect urinary excretion of Pu in fraction of mBq range. Therefore, a sensitive method such as fission track analysis has been developed for the measurement of trace levels of Pu in bioassay samples. In this technique, chemically separated plutonium from the sample and a Pu standard were electrodeposited on planchettes and covered with Lexan solid state nuclear track detector (SSNTD) and irradiated with thermal neutrons in APSARA reactor of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, India. The fission track densities in the Lexan films of the sample and the standard were used to calculate the amount of Pu in the sample. The minimum amount of Pu that can be analyzed by this method using doubly distilled electronic grade (E. G.) reagents is about 12 μBq/L.     

Superheated liquid extraction of oleuropein and related biophenols from olive leaves

Oleuropein and other healthy olive biophenols (OBPs) such as verbacoside, apigenin-7-glucoside and luteolin-7-glucoside have been extracted from olive leaves by using superheated liquids and a static-dynamic approach. Multivariate methodology has been used to carry out a detailed optimisation of the extraction. Under the optimal working conditions, complete removal without degradation of the target analytes was achieved in 13 min. The extract was injected into a chromatograph-photodiode array detector assembly for individual separation-quantification. The proposed approach - which provides more concentrated extracts than previous alternatives - is very useful to study matrix-extractant analytes partition. In addition, the efficacy of superheated liquids to extract OBPs, the simplicity of the experimental setup, its easy automation and low acquisition and maintenance costs make the industrial implementation of the proposed method advisable.     

Characterization of prototype perforated semiconductor neutron detectors

Semiconductor detectors whose surfaces are coated with neutron-reactive material can be made to detect thermal neutrons, but with efficiencies only of a few percent. However, perforating the semiconductor material, filling the perforations with neutron-reactive material, and then coating the detector surface can lead to neutron detectors of much higher thermal neutron detection efficiencies, perhaps approaching or exceeding 50%. Several perforated semiconductor neutron detectors have been constructed, both for dosimetry and for position-sensitive neutron detection. The characterization of prototype devices based on these detectors is described.     

W/O Emulsion Destabilization and Release of a Polysaccharide Entrapped in the Droplets

This study was conducted as part of European project VEGEPHY to develop a product for the crop protection purposes. It concerns first the destabilization of a W/O emulsion containing water droplets in which the polysaccharide carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) is trapped, the droplets being dispersed in a vegetable oil made of rapeseed methyl ester. Polyglycerolpolyricinoleate (PGPR) is used as surfactant and glycerol is added to enhance the dispersion of the CMC. The second part is dealing with the study of the release and dilution of the CMC obtained by dilution of the destabilized emulsion in water in order to obtain the required final amount of CMC for practical purposes. The destabilization of the emulsion by the demulsifier (cynthiorex PMH 1125) has been followed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) that permits by studying the freezing of the dispersed water to detect the presence of bulk water. The release and dilution in water of the CMC versus time was followed and quantified by measuring the conductivity of the sample. The release kinetic was modeled using a first-order empirical model. The results showed that the release process of the W/O emulsion depends on the concentration of the demulsifier, on the stirring rate, and on the temperature. The optimum amount of the non-ionic surfactant was found to be 10% and the full release of the CMC has been obtained in 600 seconds.     

Performance comparison of 2.8 MeV and <Superscript>241</Superscript>Am-Be neutrons based moisture measurement setups

Performance of a ²⁴¹Am-Be neutron source-based and 2.8 MeV neutrons-based moisture measurement setups have been compared using Monte Carlo simulation. In the setup fast neutrons transmitted through the sample were detected by a fast neutron detector, which was placed behind a massive long double truncated collimator. The setup geometry was optimized to detect maximum effect of 1–7 wt.% moisture on the neutron intensity transmitted through the sample. The yield of neutrons transmitted through concrete, coal, wood and soil samples containing 1–7 wt.% moisture was calculated for 2.8 MeV neutrons and neutrons from an ²⁴¹Am-Be source. The slopes of the fast neutron intensities transmitted through the samples vs. their moisture contents are very sensitive to the neutron energy and the sample composition. Higher slopes have been observed for the samples with larger bulk density. The slopes of fast neutron yield show dependence on the incident neutron energy. Larger slopes have been observed for neutrons with samller energy. Due to the overall large slopes of the transmitted intensity data of the samples for 2.8 MeV neutrons, it is expected to achieve better sensitivity in moisture measurements for a 2.8 MeV neutrons based moisture setup.     

Neutron beam preparation with Am–Be source for analysis of biological samples with PGNAA method

Material analysis with prompt gamma neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) requires a proper geometrical arrangement for equipments in laboratory. Application of PGNAA in analysis of biological samples, due to small size of sample, needs attention to the dimension of neutron beam. In our work, neutron source has been made of ²⁴¹Am–Be type. Activity of ²⁴¹Am was 20 Ci which lead to neutron source strength of 4.4 × 10⁷ neutrons per second. Water has been considered as the basic shielding material for the neutron source. The effect of various concentration of boric acid in the reduction of intensity of fast and thermal components of the neutron beam and gamma ray has been investigated. Gamma ray is produced by (α, n) reaction in Am–Be source (4.483 MeV), neutron capture by hydrogen (2.224 MeV), and neutron capture by boron (0.483 MeV). Various types of neutron and gamma ray dosimeters have been employed including BF₃ and NE-213 detectors to detect fast and thermal neutrons. BGO scintillation detector has been used for gamma ray spectroscopy. It is shown that the gamma and neutron radiation dose due to direct beam is of the same magnitude as the dose due to radiation scattered in the laboratory ambient. It is concluded that 14 kg boric acid dissolved in 1,000 kg water is the optimum solution to surround the neutron source. The experimental results have been compared with Monte Carlo simulation.     

High-temperature liquid chromatography of steroids on a bonded hybrid column

A hybrid stationary phase, XTerra MS C18, has been evaluated for the high-temperature reversed-phase liquid chromatography of selected hydrophobic steroids. The effects on the retention and efficiency at temperatures up to 130°C and eluent compositions from methanol–water mixtures to superheated water were studied. The thermodynamic data of the separations were determined. It was shown that increasing the temperature enabled the percentage of methanol to be reduced. High mobile-phase flow rates could be used, but for these non-polar analytes, the retention times with superheated water as the eluent were still high.     

Neutron activation analysis of semiconductor silicon

The determination of impurities in semiconductor silicon by nondestructive and destructive NAA is described. To improve the detection limit, a multiple beta—single gamma detector assembly is used. It is shown that²⁴Na is also produced from silicon by a (n, αp) reaction with reactor neutrons. The cross-section with fission neutrons is 1.8·10⁻⁹ barn.     

Continuous Spectroscopy Characterization of Emulsions

In emulsion polymerization, the formation of particles has an important effect on the rate of reaction and on the final properties of the latex. To investigate particle nucleation mechanisms in emulsion polymerization it is necessary to establish the initial conditions of the emulsified system before the reaction takes place. This research reports on a technique to continuously monitor the droplet size distribution of liquid-liquid emulsions using spectroscopy. The on-line particle characterization methodology is based on an integrated sampling and dilution strategy combined with spectroscopy methods. It is shown that the sampling system integrated with a multiwavelength turbidity detector provides reliable estimates of droplet populations as function of the dispersed phase concentration in emulsions of saturated hydrocarbons. The results provide not only the groundwork necessary for the elucidation of particle nucleation during emulsion polymerization process but also suggests the potential of this combined technology to further our understanding of liquid-liquid emulsions.     

Low-energy neutron flux measurement using a resonance absorption filter surrounding a lithium glass scintillator

The resonance absorption filter technique has been used to determine the thermal/epithermal neutron flux. The main idea in this technique is to use an element with a high and essentially singular resonance in the neutron absorption cross section as a filter surrounding a miniature-type lithium glass scintillator. The count with and without the filter surrounding the detector gives the number of resonance-energy neutrons. Some preliminary results and a comparison with the MCNP code are shown.     

Optimum timing parameters in 14 MeV neutron activation analysis of thorium and uranium using delayed neutron counting

A detailed theoretical treatment of cyclic activation analysis of thorium and uranium using a 14 MeV neutron generator and delayed neutron counting is presented. Variations of the detector response with sample transfer and total experiment times are examined in order to obtain the optimum cycle periods for the maximum detector response. Cycle optimization for 95% and 90% of the maximum detector response is investigated. Furthermore, elimination of the delayed neutrons produced by the reaction¹⁷O(n,p)¹⁷N is also considered in optimum cycle timing. Finally, calculations are carried out to estimate detection limits for thorium and uranium. Experimental results will be reported in a subsequent paper.     

The use of solid-state nuclear track detection for the study of boron and fissile nuclide distributions in steel samples

The technique of boron autoradiography using cellulose acetobutyrate (CAB) film for measuring the distribution of boron in stainless steels, is described. The method involves the irradiation of the specimen and detector with thermal neutrons, and the development of the α-particle tracks arising from the nuclear reaction¹⁰B(n, α)⁷Li. A related technique for the measurement of fissile nuclides in steel hulls, is also described. In this case, a polycarbonate detector, Lexan, is used to detect the fission-particles from the thermal neutron fission of²³⁵U or²³⁹Pu, present in the surfaces of the specimens. The principles of the methods are described, and an outline of the techniques presented. The quantitative aspect of the method is considered and the results on various specimens discussed.     

Monte Carlo simulation of possible conversion processes with respect to soft error generation in a dynamic RAM based neutron detector

The operating principle of a memory based radiation sensor, which is the Soft Error mechanism in silicon integrated circuits was suggested in our research with particular reference to dynamic Random Access Memories (dRAMs), with a view of employing it in neutron detection, imaging and elemental analysis. Thus, having initially proved that dRAMs can be used as heavy charged particle detectors, it was thought that these devices can be made sensitive to neutrons by adding a foil to convert the thermal neutrons to charged particles through the (n,) reaction. In order to further evaluate the feasibility of this approach, a Monte Carlo program has been used to simulate and examine suitable converting materials with respect to soft error generation and to determine methods to increase the sensitivity of dRAMs to neutrons. The aim of this paper is to present results from these calculations and discuss the capabilities of such a neutron detector.