Application of PGNAA utilizing thermal neutron beam for quantification of boron concentrations in ceramic and refractory
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Application of PGNAA utilizing thermal neutron beam for quantification of boron concentrations in ceramic and refractory neutron absorbers Sk Wasim Raja1,3 · S. K. Samanta2 · V. Sharma2 · R. Acharya2,3 · P. K. Pujari2,3 Received: 9 March 2020 © Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, Hungary 2020
Abstract A Prompt Gamma-ray Neutron Activation Analysis (PGNAA) facility was set up using a thermal neutron beam at Dhruva research reactor. It was utilized for non-destructive quantification of total boron in refractory neutron absorbers and 10B atom% in B 4C ceramics having natural and enriched 10B composition by measuring the 478 keV prompt gamma-ray from 10 *7 B(n,αγ) Li. Self-shielding correction was carried out for higher boron concentration samples using chlorine as an internal standard. As a part of quality assurance, the results of PGNAA were compared with those obtained by in situ current normalized Particle Induced Gamma-ray Emission (PIGE) method. Keywords PGNAA · Boron · Neutron absorber · Self-shielding correction · PIGE · Prompt gamma-ray spectrometry
Introduction Prompt Gamma-ray Neutron Activation Analysis (PGNAA) is a nuclear analytical isotope specific online measurement technique used for material characterization through quantification of elemental concentration often non-destructively. PGNAA is complementary to conventional Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) and in principle it is capable of quantifying most of the elements in the periodic table in diverse matrix samples like geological, biological, environmental and archeological origin as well as alloys and ceramic samples [1–3]. It involves measurement of prompt gamma-rays mainly from (n,γ) and (n,αγ) reactions when samples are irradiated with thermal/cold neutron beams from research reactors or other neutron sources like 241Am-Be. PGNAA is suitable for the analysis of low Z elements like H, B, N, Al,
* R. Acharya [email protected]; [email protected] 1
Radiochemistry Division (BARC), Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre, 1/AF, Bidhan Nagar, Kolkata 700064, India
2
Radiochemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085, India
3
Homi Bhabha National Institute, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai 400094, India
Si, P, S, Cl and neutron poisons like Sm, Cd, Gd, Dy and Hg due to their favourable nuclear properties and/or higher thermal neutron absorption cross-sections [4–6]. Some of these elements have extremely good analytical sensitivities and they can be detected down to the ppm levels. However, analysis of samples containing the neutron poison elements is limited at higher concentrations by PGNAA, due to selfshielding effect, i.e. flux depression, because of the high thermal neutron absorption cross-sections of these elements e.g., 3837b for 10B(n,αγ)7*Li [6]. The qunatification of boron at trace levels in solid and aqueous solutions in medicine, nuclear industry and geological samples has been carried out by PGNAA [7–10]. Rapid and accurate determination of boron has been performed in biological tissue, blood and urine samples for Boro
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