Determination of relative and absolute abundance of stable nitrogen isotopes by proton induced nuclear reactions

Thick-target yield of γ-rays emitted in the reactions¹⁴N(p,p′γ₁)¹⁴N and¹⁵N(p,αγ₁)¹²C were measured as a function of bombarding energy in order to select the conditions favoring the employment of these reactions in nitrogen isotopic analysis. The applicability of these reactions in the determination of relative as well as absolute nitrogen isotopic abundances was demonstrated at 4.3 MeV bombarding energy. Supported in part by the International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria.     

Determination of carbon impurities in epitaxial layers from semiconductor silicon by means of charged particles

The energy-dependent range of charged particles in activation analysis according to the reaction¹²C(d,n)¹³N permits the method to be applied to carbon determination in model epitaxial layers of sufficient thickness. We investigated 100 μm epitaxial layers of the n-type and undoped 50 μ layers as to p⁻ Czochralski substrates. Deuterons were slowed down with Cu and Ta foils having a limiting energy of 13.5 MeV, to 4.2 MeV and 2.9 MeV, respectively. In the resulting activation depths of 52 and 102 μm, the sensitivity of the method, which is 3·10¹⁴ at ·cm⁻³C at E_d=10 MeV in silicon, is reduced to 25% and 10%, respectively. An optimal flux of 0.9 μA·cm⁻² was maintained. After irradiation, 20 or 10 μm were etched off. The sample was inductively fused at 1500 K in a Pb₃O₄/B₂O₃ mixture.¹³N was passed with He as carrier gas into an absorption vessel kept at 77 K, and its activity was measured in γ, γ-coincidence.     

Photon activation analysis of carbon in glasses for fiber amplifiers by using the flow method for the rapid separation of 11C

Summary We have studied the photon activation analysis of carbon in InF₃-based fluoride, chalcogenide and tellurite glasses for fiber amplifiers, and especially the nuclear interference from a matrix produced by (γ,n), (γ,2n), (γ,p) and (n,γ) reactions and a flow method for the rapid and simple separation of ¹¹C. A chemical separation technique is indispensable for determining carbon, because seventeen radionuclides are observed in these glasses. The flow method can sequentially be undertaken, the fusion of an irradiated sample with an oxidizer, the conversion of ¹¹C into ¹¹CO₂, and the absorption of ¹¹C in ethanolamine solution. We used a mixture of Pb₃O₄ and B₂O₃ as the oxidizer. There is interference with the ¹¹C measurement because ¹⁸F and ⁶⁸Ga are produced in fluoride and chalcogenide glasses by the ¹⁹F(γ,n), ²³Na(γ,αn) and ⁶⁹Ga(γ,n) reactions, respectively, and also absorbed in ethanolamine solution. Therefore, this flow method can only be applied to tellurite glasses. The chemical yield provided by the flow method was close to 100% when determining carbon in Japanese Iron and Steel Certified Reference Materials (JSS) by using lithium carbonate as a standard sample. We determined that the carbon concentrations in four kinds of tellurite glass were 7 to 14 ppm.     

Oxygen and nitrogen in coal by instrumental neutron activation analysis

The feasibility of using fast neutron (14 MeV) activation analysis techniques for the determination of oxygen and nitrogen in coal has been investigated. Conditions that favor instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) include the absence of problems associated with sample dissolution and the capability of extremely rapid analyses as compared to older techniques such as the Kjeldahl method for nitrogen. Most previous oxygen determinations have been by difference after major component analyses. In the present study, oxygen was determined in sized coal and its low temperature ash (LTA) with the difference representing the organic oxygen content. Both the oxygen and nitrogen analyses employ a multiscaling technique with the former based on the¹⁶O(n, p)¹⁶N reaction, while the latter utilizes the annihilation radiation produced by the product of the¹⁴N(n, 2n)¹³N reaction. The high-energy gamma-radiation associated with the decay of¹⁶N was essentially free of spectral interferences for coal analysis, although fluorine could cause a primary interference if the F/O ratio exceeds 0.02. In the nitrogen work, experiments were performed to determine correction factors to account for the effects of the¹²C(p, γ)¹³N and¹³C(p, n)¹³N “knock-on” reactions and the³⁹K(n, 2n)³⁸K reaction which produce interfering β⁺ emitting radionuclides. Data are presented for oxygen in Western Kentucky No. 9 and No. 11 coal and coal ash and for nitrogen in eleven different coals.     

The development of nuclear microprobe techniques for the spatial determination of13C and13C/12C ratios

Sensitive and selective nuclear reaction methods have been sought for the nuclear microprobe measurement of the spatial distributions of¹³C and¹³C/¹²C ratios. The¹³C(α, n)¹⁶O reaction, with neutron detection, is the most selective for¹³C, and has a sensitivity of ca. 100 ppm. The reactions¹³C(d, p)¹⁴C and¹²C(d, p)¹³C, with proton detection, are the most sensitive for the simultaneous measurement of¹³C and¹²C, with detection limits of 30 and 2 ppm respectively. Less sensitive alternative reaction pairs are;¹³C(³He, p)¹⁵N and¹²C(³He, p)¹⁴N;¹³C(d, nγ)¹⁴N and¹²C(d, pγ)¹³C;¹³C(³He, pγ)¹⁵N and¹²C(³He, pγ)¹⁴N. The conditions governing their use, particularly light element interferences, are detailed.     

The determination of carbon,nitrogen and oxygen in gases by neutron time-of-flight spectrometry

Carbon, nitrogen and oxygen were determined in gases by time-of-flight spectrometry of prompt neutrons from the respective reactions¹²C(d, n)¹³N,¹⁴N(d, n)¹⁵O and¹⁶O(d, n)¹⁷F, produced by a pulsed beam of deuterons of 2 MeV (for nitrogen) or 3 MeV. The analysis is non-destructive and requires about 15 min. per sample. The relative standard deviation for all three elements was about ±3%. Detection limits, using a total irradiation current of 20 millicoulombs, for carbon, nitrogen and oxygen, respectively, were 6·10⁻⁸ g, 2·10⁻⁷ g and 1.7·10⁻⁷ g per cm² cross-sectional area of irradiating beam.     

Determination of nitrogen in boron carbide by instrumental photon activation analysis

Boron carbide is widely used as industrial material, because of its extreme hardness, and as a neutron absorber. As part of a round-robin exercise leading to certification of a new reference material (ERM-ED102) which was demanded by the industry we analysed nitrogen in boron carbide by inert gas fusion analysis (GFA) and instrumental photon activation analysis (IPAA) using the ¹⁴N(γ,n)¹³N nuclear reaction. The latter approach is the only non-destructive method among all the methods applied. By using photons with energy below the threshold of the ¹²C(γ,n)¹¹C reaction, we hindered activation of matrix and other impurities. A recently installed beam with a very low lateral activating flux gradient enabled us to homogeneously activate sample masses of approximately 1 g. Taking extra precautions, i.e. self-absorption correction and deconvolution of the complex decay curves, we calculated a nitrogen concentration of 2260 ± 100 μg g⁻¹, which is in good agreement with our GFA value of 2303 ± 64 μg g⁻¹. The values are the second and third highest of a rather atypical (non-S-shape) distribution of data of 14 round-robin participants. It is of utmost importance for the certification process that our IPAA value is the only one not produced by inert gas fusion analysis and, therefore, the only one which is not affected by a possible incomplete release of nitrogen from high-melting boron carbide. Figure Twin-Detector system for analyzing spatially extended samples     

Probing the surface acidity of modified γ-alumina with1H and15N high-resolution solid state NMR spectroscopy

¹H MAS NMR and¹⁵N NMR studies of adsorbed N₂ and N₂O molecules were used to characterize Br?nsted and Lewis acidic sites of unmodified γ-Al₂O₃ and γ-Al₂O₃ modified with NaOH. Changes in the concentrations of surface hydroxyls with the increase in the number of more “basic” OH groups for NaOH/γ-Al₂O₃ have been found by¹H MAS NMR experiments. Two different types of Lewis acidic sites in γ-Al₂O₃ have been revealed using¹⁵N NMR studies. The strongest sites are poisoned even at small NaOH concentrations (ca. 0.05 wt.%). Not only the number of electron-accepting sites but also their strength are supposed to decrease for modified γ-alumina.     

Simple indium generators

Very economical, rapid and pure methods for the production of^115mIn and^113mIn from¹¹⁵Cd and¹¹³Sn, respectively are described. The methods are based on the extraction of^115mIn by o-xylene from 7.2M H₂SO₄ −0.06M HBr, and its reextraction with ≈11M H₂SO₄ −0.06M HBr from n-hexane. The γ-spectra of the generated^115mIn and^113mIn indicate that they are free from any other interferences.     

Light elements analysis and application to glass industry

Nuclear reactions induced on light elements by low energy deuterons are investigated. Differential cross-sections for¹⁰B(d, β₀)⁸Be,¹⁰B(d, β₁)⁸Be,¹²C(d, p₀)¹³C,¹⁴N(d, β₀)¹²C,¹⁴N(d, β₁)¹²C,¹⁶O(d, p₀)¹⁷O,¹⁶O(d, p₁)¹⁷O and¹⁶O(d, β₀)¹⁴N reactions are measured between 0.5 and 3 MeV at an observation angle of 135° with respect to the incident beam. Possible application of these reactions to the measurement of surface concentration is considered—Special emphasis was given on nitrogen determination in order to study nitrogen concentration in industrial glasses. Surface nitrogen repartition on glass, origin of nitrogen, influence of oxidizing and reducing conditions and glass structure are discussed.     

Synthesis and spectral properties of titanium(iv) polynuclear hydroxo complexes stabilized in solution by the [PW11O39]7− heteropolyanion

Unsaturated heteropolyanions (HPA) [PW₁₁O₃₉]⁷⁻ stabilize Ti^IV hydroxo complexes in aqueous solutions (Ti: PW₁₁ [PW₁₁O₃₉]⁷⁻⪯12, pH 1–3). Spectral studies (optical,¹⁷O and³¹P NMR, and IR spectra) and studies by the differential dissolution method demonstrated that Ti^IV hydroxo complexes are stabilized through interactions of polynuclear Ti^IV hydroxo cations with heteropolyanions [PW₁₁TiO₄₀ ⁵⁻ formed. Depending on the reaction conditions, hydroxo cations Ti _n−1O _x H _y ^m+ either add to oxygen atoms of the W−O−Ti bridges of the heteropolyanions to form the complex [PW₁₁TiO₄₀·Ti _n−1O _x H _y ] ^k− (at [HPA]=0.01 mol L⁻¹) or interact with Ti^IV of the heteropolyanions through the terminal o atom to give the polynuclear complexes [PW₁₁O₃₉Ti−O−Ti _n−1O _x H _y ]^q− (at [HPA]=0.2 mol L⁻¹). When the complexes of the first type were treated with H₂O₂, Ti^IV ions added peroxo groups. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 5, pp. 914–920, May, 1997.     

Die Bestimmung von53Mn,Welches in Meteoritischem Material Durch Kosmische Strahlung Erzeugt Wurde,mit Hilfe der Neutronenaktivierung

Among a number of stable and unstable nuclides formed in material exposed to cosmic radiation the spallation nuclide⁵³Mn (T=2·10⁶ a) is investigated in meteoritic manganese by combined techniques of neutron activation and advanced γ-spectrometry. The need for an economic use of precious meteorites is so ensured best. Intense neutron bombardment transforms the long-livedK-emitter⁵³Mn into⁵⁴Mn, which is detected by its 0.84 MeV γ-rays. Using the (n,γ) cross section—recently derived byMillard—⁵³Mn-values in the range of 60–600 dpm/kg (10⁻¹¹ g/g) are found in a larger number of iron meteorite samples, which are only 1–3 g in weight. The determination is very specific and under appropriate conditions unaffected by side reactions. The attempt to use the⁴⁴Ti (n,γ)⁴⁵Ti reactions for the analysis of spallogenic titanium failed, because the σ_therm of⁴⁴Ti was found to be unexpectedly low (10 barns). Additionally,⁴⁵Sc was determined after (n,γ) reaction by the⁴⁶Sc γ,γ-cascades.      

13C and1H NMR spectroscopic characterization of titanium(IV) alkylperoxo complexes Ti(OOtBu)n(OiPr)4?n with n=1, 2, 3, 4

Using¹³C and¹H NMR spectroscopy, titanium(IV) alkylperoxo complexes Ti(OOtBu)_n(OiPr)_4−n with n=1, 2, 3 and 4 were characterized in the reaction of Ti(OiPr)₄ withtBuOOH in CH₂Cl₂ and CDCl₃.     

Infrared absorption spectra of Er3+-doped Al2O3 nanopowders by the sol-gel method

The Er³⁺-doped Al₂O₃ nanopowders have been prepared by the sol-gel method, using the aluminium isopropoxide [Al(OC₃H₇)₃]-derived γ-AlOOH sols with addition of the erbium nitrate [Er(NO₃)₃·5H₂O]. The five phases of γ-(Al,Er)₂O₃, θ-(Al,Er)₂O₃, α-(Al,Er)₂O₃, ErAlO₃, and Al₁₀Er₆O₂₄ were detected with the 0–20 mol% Er³⁺-doped Al₂O₃ nanopowders at the different sintering temperature of 600–1200°C. The average grain size was increased from about 5 to 62 nm for phase transformation of undoped γ-Al₂O₃→α-Al₂O₃ at the sintering temperature from 600 to 1200°C. At the same sintering temperature, average grain size was decreased with increase of the Er³⁺ doping concentration. Infrared absorption spectra of γ-Al₂O₃ and θ-Al₂O₃ nanopowders showed the two broad bands of 830–870 and 550–600 cm⁻¹, the three broad bands of 830–870, 750–760, and 550–600 cm⁻¹, respectively. The infrared absorption spectra for the α-Al₂O₃ nanopowder showed three characteristic bands, 640, 602, and 453 cm⁻¹. The two characteristic bands of 669 and 418 cm⁻¹ for Er₂O₃ clusters were observed for the Er³⁺-doped Al₂O₃ nanopowders when Er³⁺ doping concentration was increased up to 2 mol%. The 796, 788, 725, 692, 688, 669, 586, 509, 459, and 418 cm⁻¹ are the characteristic bands of Al₁₀Er₆O₂₄ phase.     

Conductivity of semiconducting tin dioxide in dry air caused by oxygen chemical transformations and chemisorption

The conductivity of semiconducting tin dioxide (SnO₂) in pure nitrogen and dry air was studied over the temperature range ∼20−650°C. Conductivity was shown to be caused by chemical transformations of oxygen molecules on catalytically active oxide surfaces. It unambiguously corresponded to the formation of O⁻ and O²⁻ chemisorbed ions. The experimental data were used to construct the temperature dependences of the chemisorption of O⁻ and O²⁻. The formation of O⁻ ions was maximum at ≈200°C, and the formation of O²⁻ ions did not reach a maximum at 650°C and increased beyond this limit. The number of electrons entrapped by chemisorbed oxygen ions and the concentrations of oxygen ions at all formation stages were estimated.     

Yields and average cross sections of recoil charged particle induced reactions on11B,12C,13C,14N,16O and18O

The yield and average cross section for the reactions¹¹B(p, n)¹¹C,¹²C(p, )¹³N,¹³C(p, n)¹³N, ₁₂ ¹² C(d, n)¹³N,¹⁴N(p, )¹¹C,¹⁶O(p, )¹³N,¹⁶O(d, n)¹⁷F,¹⁶O(t, n)¹⁸F, and¹⁸O(p, n)¹⁸F have been measured in different compounds. The charged particles were created in the samples themselves either through recoil by scattering of 14 MeV neutrons off hydrogen and deuterium, or by the (n, t) reaction on⁶Li using thermal neutrons. The yields of reactions¹²C(d, n);¹⁶O(p, );¹⁶O(t, n) and¹⁸O(p, n) have been measured using proton, deuteron and triton spectra generated by 14 MeV neutrons in the reactions D(n, p)2n;⁶Li(n, d);⁷Li(n, d) and¹⁰B(n, d);⁷Li(n, t) and¹⁰B(n, t), respectively.     

The kinetics of chemical reactions in the products of dissociation of the CO2−H2 gas mixture in microwave discharge

The yields of hydrogen atoms, oxygen atoms and molecules, and hydroxyl radicals after a microwave discharge in the mixture of CO₂ and H₂ were measured by ESR spectroscopy in a flow-type system. A mathematical model of the kinetics of chemical reactions downstream the microwave discharge was devised. The concentrations of particles that cannot be detected under our experimental conditions were estimated. Experimental values of the concentration sensitivity for an RE-1306 ESR spectrometer are as follows: for a pressure of 1 Torr and optimized detection conditions, H^., 10¹¹ cm⁻³; O^., 3·10¹⁰ cm⁻³; OH^., 10¹⁰ cm⁻³; O₂, 3·10¹³ cm⁻³ (Ref. 7); for a pressure of 2 Torr, H^., 5·10¹² cm⁻³; O^., 2·10¹² cm⁻³; OH^., 2.5·10¹¹ cm⁻³; O₂, 7.5·10¹⁴ cm^{−3 8} Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 4, pp. 665–669, April, 2000.     

The state of metals in the Pt/Al2O3 and (Pt-Cu)/Al2O3 catalysts as indicated by IR spectroscopy with isotope dilution of 12C16O with 13C18O molecules

Adsorption of ¹³C¹⁸O+¹²C¹⁶O mixtures on the Pt(2.9%)/γ-Al₂O₃, (Pt(2.6%)+Cu(2.7%))/γ-Al₂O₃, and (Pt(2.6%)+Cu(5.1%))/γ-Al₂O₃ catalysts was studied by FTIR spectroscopy. On the metallic Pt surface at coverages close to saturation, CO is adsorbed both strongly and weakly to form linear species for which the vibrational frequencies of the isolated ¹³C¹⁸O molecules adsorbed on Pt are ∼1940 and ∼1970 cm⁻¹, respectively. The redistribution of intensities of the high-and low-frequency absorption bands in the spectra of adsorbed ¹³C¹⁸O indicates that these linear forms are present on the adjacent metal sites. The weak adsorption is responsible for the fast isotope exchange between the gaseous CO and CO molecules adsorbed on metal. The Pt-Cu alloys, in which the electronic state of the surface Pt atoms characteristic of monometallic Pt remains unchanged, are formed on the surface of the reduced Pt-Cu bimetallic catalysts. The decrease in the vibrational frequencies of the isolated C=O bonds in the isolated Pt-CO complexes suggests that the CO molecules adsorbed on the Cu atoms affect the electronic properties of Pt. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 5, pp. 831–836, May, 2007.     

Evaluation of stray neutron distribution in medical cyclotron vault room by neutron activation analysis approach

Stray neutron distribution in a medical cyclotron vault room was evaluated by neutron activation analysis (NAA). Neutrons were generated in the production of radioactive nuclides, such as ¹⁸F, ¹¹C, ¹³N and ¹⁵O, for diagnostic usage. Indium foil was adopted to evaluate the stray fast and thermal neutron intensity based on ¹¹⁵In(n_f, n′)^115mIn and ¹¹⁵In(n_th, γ)^116m1In reactions, respectively. The indium foils were weighed, sealed and placed at 62 points around the 6.7×8.2 m² cyclotron room. Additionally, each indium foil was exposed for over 80 minutes during cyclotron operation and γ-peaks were analyzed using an HPGe detector to evaluate the number of stray fast (Φ _f) or thermal (Φ _th) neutrons. The minimum to maximum numbers of fast and thermal neutrons were (3.47±0.11)×10³ to (1.06±0.21)×10⁴ n·cm⁻²·s⁻¹ and 9 to 965 n·cm⁻²·s⁻¹, respectively. The minimum detectable limit for stray neutrons was included herein to demonstrate the reliability. Accordingly, 60 and two points, respectively, the confidence level associated with the reported intensities of fast and thermal neutrons reached 95%. The low qualified ratio in the evaluation of stray thermal neutrons might have been caused by either the high Compton scattering plateau or the low intensity of the gamma-ray peak in the relevant spectrum.     

Sorption behavior of Co(II) on γ-Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> in the presence of humic acid

The fate and transport of toxic metal ions and radionuclides in the environment is generally controlled by sorption reactions. The extent of sorption of divalent metal cations is controlled by a number of factors including cosorbing or complexing. In this work, the effects of pH, humic acid HA/Co(II) addition orders, ionic strength, concentration of HA, and foreign cations on the Co(II) sorption on γ-Al₂O₃ in the presence of HA were investigated. The sorption isotherms of Co(II) on γ-Al₂O₃ in the absence and presence HA were also studied and described by using S-type sorption model. The experimental results showed that the Co(II) sorption is strongly dependent on the pH values, concentration of HA, but independent of HA/Co(II) addition orders, ionic strength, and foreign cations in the presence of HA under our experimental conditions. The results also indicated that HA enhanced the Co(II) sorption at low pH, but reduced the Co(II) sorption at high pH. It was hypothesized that the significantly positive influence of HA at low pH on the Co(II) sorption on γ-Al₂O₃ was attributed to strong surface binding of HA on γ-Al₂O₃ and subsequently the formation of ternary surface complexes such as ≡S-OOC-R-(COO⁻) _x Co^2−x . Chemi-complexation may be the main mechanism of the Co(II) sorption on γ-Al₂O₃ in the presence of HA.