Development of time-of-flight neutron diffraction technique based on compact neutron source for realizing the stress measurement of steel materials

Iwamoto, Chihiro*; Kurihara, Ryo*; Takamura, Masato*; Takahashi, Susumu*; Suzuki, Kosuke*; Xu, P. G.   ; Otake, Yoshie*

Neutron diffraction is a powerful non-destructive method for evaluating the microscopic structure and internal stress of metal as a bulk average. To implement on-site stress measurements via the neutron diffraction at laboratories and factories frequently and even daily, we are working on improving the method of the neutron diffraction measurement and analysis with techniques of time-of-flight to at RIKEN accelerator-driven compact neutron source (RANS). In this study, we have proposed two methods to improve the determination resolution of the diffraction peak position by focusing on delayed neutrons due to scattering from devices such as reflector surrounding the moderator and the polyethylene collimator. First, an analysis method has been proposed to deconvolute original diffraction peak from the delayed neutron component by defining a model function describing the delayed neutron shape. Second, a new collimator system, called decouple collimator, to reduce the number of delayed neutrons has been developed. In this presentation, we will show following two results: First, the performances of these new methods were evaluated to measure diffraction patterns from a powder sample of pure body-centered cubic iron with the decouple collomator, and to analyze the diffraction peak of {211} reflection by the new analysis method using a model function of a single exponential decay function convoluted with a Gaussian function. The diffracted neutron yield increased by a factor of 2 comapred with a traditional small-apperture polyethylene collimator system while the diffraction peak was successfully separated clearly from the delayed neutron component. Second, a trial stress measurement of a carbon steel specimen applied to as-known compressive stress was performed. At present, the applied stress can be measured with an error of up to 200 MPa for the specimen with applied stress of 500 MPa.