New material exploration to enhance neutron intensity below cold neutrons; Nanosized graphene flower aggregation

Teshigawara, Makoto; Ikeda, Yujiro*; Yan, M.*; Muramatsu, Kazuo*; Sutani, Koichi*; Fukuzumi, Masafumi*; Noda, Yohei*; Koizumi, Satoshi*; Saruta, Koichi; Otake, Yoshie*

Nanomaterials (Internet), 13(1), p.76_1 - 76_9, 2023/01

https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13010076

To enhance neutron intensity below cold neutrons, it is proposed that nanosized graphene aggregation could facilitate neutron coherent scattering under particle size conditions similar to nanodiamond. It might also be possible to use it in high neutron radiation conditions due to graphene's strong sp2 bonds. Using the RIKEN accelerator-driven compact neutron source and iMATERIA at J-PARC, we performed neutron measurement experiments, total neutron cross-section, and small-angle neutron scattering on nanosized graphene aggregation. The measured data revealed, for the first time, that nanosized graphene aggregation increased the total cross-sections and small-angle scattering in the cold neutron energy region, most likely due to coherent scattering, resulting in higher neutron intensities, similar to nanodiamond.

Quantum proton entanglement on a nanocrystalline silicon surface

Matsumoto, Takahiro*; Sugimoto, Hidehiko*; Ohara, Takashi; Tokumitsu, Akio*; Tomita, Makoto*; Ikeda, Susumu*

Physical Review B, 103(24), p.245401_1 - 245401_9, 2021/06

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.103.245401

Thermally altered subsurface material of asteroid (162173) Ryugu

Kitazato, Kohei*; Milliken, R. E.*; Iwata, Takahiro*; Abe, Masanao*; Otake, Makiko*; Matsuura, Shuji*; Takagi, Yasuhiko*; Nakamura, Tomoki*; Hiroi, Takahiro*; Matsuoka, Moe*; et al.

Nature Astronomy (Internet), 5(3), p.246 - 250, 2021/03

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-020-01271-2

Here we report observations of Ryugu's subsurface material by the Near-Infrared Spectrometer (NIRS3) on the Hayabusa2 spacecraft. Reflectance spectra of excavated material exhibit a hydroxyl (OH) absorption feature that is slightly stronger and peak-shifted compared with that observed for the surface, indicating that space weathering and/or radiative heating have caused subtle spectral changes in the uppermost surface. However, the strength and shape of the OH feature still suggests that the subsurface material experienced heating above 300 C, similar to the surface. In contrast, thermophysical modeling indicates that radiative heating does not increase the temperature above 200 C at the estimated excavation depth of 1 m, even if the semimajor axis is reduced to 0.344 au. This supports the hypothesis that primary thermal alteration occurred due to radiogenic and/or impact heating on Ryugu's parent body.

Measurement of neutron scattering cross section of nano-diamond with particle diameter of approximately 5 nm in energy range of 0.2 meV to 100 meV

Teshigawara, Makoto; Tsuchikawa, Yusuke*; Ichikawa, Go*; Takata, Shinichi; Mishima, Kenji*; Harada, Masahide; Oi, Motoki; Kawamura, Yukihiko*; Kai, Tetsuya; Kawamura, Seiko; et al.

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 929, p.113 - 120, 2019/06

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2019.03.038

A nano-diamond is an attractive neutron reflection material below cold neutron energy. The total neutron cross section of a nano-diamond was derived from a neutron transmission measurement over the neutron energy range of 0.2 meV to 100 meV because total neutron cross section data were not available. The total cross section of a nano-diamond with particle size of approximately 5 nm increased with a decrease in neutron energy to 0.2 meV. It was approximately two orders of magnitude larger than that of graphite at 0.2 meV. The contribution of inelastic scattering to the total cross section was to be shown negligible small at neutron energies of 1.2, 1.5, 1.9, 2.6, and 5.9 meV in the inelastic neutron scattering measurement. Moreover, small-angle neutron scattering measurements of the nano-diamond showed a large scattering cross section in the forward direction for low neutron energies.

Evaluation of combined pre- and post-excavation grouting for reducing water inflow under high water pressure condition

Mikake, Shinichiro; Ikeda, Koki; Matsui, Hiroya; Tsuji, Masakuni*; Nishigaki, Makoto*

Doboku Gakkai Rombunshu, C (Chiken Kogaku) (Internet), 74(1), p.76 - 91, 2018/03

https://doi.org/10.2208/jscejge.74.76

Pre-grouting of shafts and galleries had been conducted during the construction of MIU in the aspect of reducing water inflow. After excavating GL.-500m gallery, a post-grouting was performed on section of the pre-excavation grouting area under high water pressure condition (max: 4MPa). The post-grouting experiment was performed outside of the pre-grouting zone with designs, applying colloidal silica grouting material and complex dynamic grouting. It was estimated that the inflow after post-grouting was reduced by 1/100 of the case that pre- and post-grouting were not performed. These results indicate that the applied combined pre- and post-grouting methodology is effective in reducing water inflow and it can be applicable under high water pressure condition. Then, this paper states the theoretical evaluation of relationship between reduction of hydraulic conductivity and the grouting zone is very convenient and useful for grouting design and estimate of water inflow.

Investigation and measures of abnormal events of helium refrigerator for cryogenic hydrogen system at J-PARC

Aso, Tomokazu; Teshigawara, Makoto; Hasegawa, Shoichi; Aoyagi, Katsuhiro*; Muto, Hideki*; Nomura, Kazutaka*; Takada, Hiroshi; Ikeda, Yujiro

JAEA-Technology 2017-021, 75 Pages, 2017/08

JAEA-Technology-2017-021.pdf:33.03MB

Liquid hydrogen is employed as a cold neutron moderator material at the spallation neutron source of Materials and Life science experimental Facility of Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC). From January 2015, it became observable that the differential pressure between heat exchangers and an 80 K adsorber (ADS) in a helium refrigerator system increased with operating time. In November 2015, the differential pressure rise became more significant, leading to degrade the refrigerating performance in cooling liquid hydrogen. In order to investigate the cause of the abnormal differential pressure rise between the heat exchangers and the ADS, we carried out visual inspection inside the heat exchangers and analyzed the impurities contained in the helium gas. Unfortunately, we could not identify the impurities causing the performance degradation, but observed a trace of oil in the inlet piping of the heat exchanger. Based on investigations of the abnormal events occurred in the refrigerators with similar refrigerating capacity at other facilities, we took measures that cleaning the heat exchangers with Freon and replacing the ADS with new one. As a result, the differential pressure rise phenomenon was removed to recover the performance. We have detected oil from the Freon used for cleaning the heat exchangers and at a felt supporting charcoal packed in the ADS. In particular, oil was accumulated in membranous form onto the felt at the entrance side in the ADS. The amount of oil contained in the helium gas was about 10 ppb or so, less than the design value, in the helium refrigerator. However, the oil accumulated onto the felt in the ADS through long operating period may cause abnormal differential pressure rise, leading to the performance degradation of the helium refrigerator. Further study is needed to specify the cause more clearly.

Work and safety managements for on-site installation, commissioning, tests by EU of quench protection circuits for JT-60SA

Yamauchi, Kunihito; Okano, Jun; Shimada, Katsuhiro; Omori, Yoshikazu; Terakado, Tsunehisa; Matsukawa, Makoto; Koide, Yoshihiko; Kobayashi, Kazuhiro; Ikeda, Yoshitaka; Fukumoto, Masahiro; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2015-053, 36 Pages, 2016/03

JAEA-Technology-2015-053.pdf:8.33MB

The superconducting Satellite Tokamak machine "JT-60SA" under construction in Naka Fusion Institute is an international collaborative project between Japan (JA) and Europe (EU). The contributions for this project are based on the supply of components, and thus European manufacturer shall conduct the installation, commissioning and tests on Naka site. This means that Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) had a quite difficult issue to manage the works by European workers and their safety although there is no direct contract. This report describes the approaches for the work and safety managements, which were agreed with EU after the tough negotiation, and then the completed on-site works for Quench Protection Circuits (QPC) as the first experience for EU in JT-60SA project. With the help of these approaches by JAEA, the EU works for QPC were successfully completed with no accident, and a great achievement was made for both EU and JA.

Probing carbon edge exposure of iron phthalocyanine-based oxygen reduction catalysts by soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy

Niwa, Hideharu*; Saito, Makoto*; Kobayashi, Masaki*; Harada, Yoshihisa*; Oshima, Masaharu*; Moriya, Shogo*; Matsubayashi, Katsuyuki*; Nabae, Yuta*; Kuroki, Shigeki*; Ikeda, Takashi; et al.

Journal of Power Sources, 223, p.30 - 35, 2013/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2012.09.031

To design non-platinum, inexpensive, but high performance carbon-based cathode catalysts for polymer electrolyte fuel cells, it is important to elucidate the active site for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). However, it is difficult to directly identify the active site by applying conventional structural or electronic probes to such complex systems. Here, we used C 1 X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) to observe electronic structure of carbon in iron phthalocyanine-based catalysts, and found a signature of edge exposure below the edge, whose intensity is well correlated with the ORR activity. These results demonstrate that C 1 XAS can be used to characterize the ORR activity of carbon-based cathode catalysts in terms of the edge exposure.

Real-time structural analysis of compositionally graded InGaAs/GaAs(001) layers

Sasaki, Takuo*; Suzuki, Hidetoshi*; Inagaki, Makoto*; Ikeda, Kazuma*; Shimomura, Kenichi*; Takahashi, Masamitsu; Kozu, Miwa*; Hu, W.; Kamiya, Itaru*; Oshita, Yoshio*; et al.

IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics, 2(1), p.35 - 40, 2012/01

https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2011.2174198

Estimation of runoff volume by geomorphometry and statistics analysis using digital elevation model in Tono area

Takeuchi, Ryuji; Kosaka, Hiroshi; Sato, Atsuya*; Tomiyama, Shingo*; Kageyama, Soichiro*; Ikeda, Makoto*

JAEA-Research 2011-008, 77 Pages, 2011/06

JAEA-Research-2011-008.pdf:4.76MB

Subsurface water balance observation is a kind of methods in order to estimate a recharge rate. Results of the observation are affected by the various factors such as the scale, the topography, a geological feature, the climate. Therefore, the observation in the regional scale is necessary at many basins. The purpose of this study is to confirm the applicability of the method for the evaluation of runoff volume, which is one of parameters to evaluate the recharge rate by surface water balance observation, by geomorphometry and statistical analyses using digital elevation model (DEM). The runoff index which is the original indicator to evaluate the degree of flow rate on a catchment was calculated by the comparison between the result of geomorphometry and statistics analyses, and the observed data of river flow rate in the monitoring stations. Using this index, the flow rate of the Hiyoshi River was evaluated. The evaluated flow rate was about 60% against the observed flow rate.