Upgrade of the small-angle neutron scattering diffractometer SANS-J at JRR-3

Kumada, Takayuki; Motokawa, Ryuhei; Oba, Yojiro; Nakagawa, Hiroshi; Sekine, Yurina; Micheau, C.; Ueda, Yuki; Sugita, Tsuyoshi; Birumachi, Atsushi; Sasaki, Miki; et al.

Journal of Applied Crystallography, 56(6), p.1776 - 1783, 2023/12

https://doi.org/10.1107/S1600576723009731

The combination of the existing position-sensitive photomultiplier and the 3He main detector with focusing devices, and the newly installed front detectors in SANS-J at JRR-3 covers small-angle neutron scattering signals in the range of the magnitude of the scattering vector Q from 0.002 to 6 nm-1 gaplessly with three standard device layouts. The installation of the front detector and a graphical user interface system largely improved the usability of SANS-J.

Structural changes of polystyrene particles in subcritical and supercritical water revealed by in situ small-angle neutron scattering

Shibata, Motoki*; Nakanishi, Yohei*; Abe, Jun*; Arima, Hiroshi*; Iwase, Hiroki*; Shibayama, Mitsuhiro*; Motokawa, Ryuhei; Kumada, Takayuki; Takata, Shinichi; Yamamoto, Katsuhiro*; et al.

Polymer Journal, 55(11), p.1165 - 1170, 2023/11

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41428-023-00817-1

Structure and magnetic properties of Fe nanoparticles in amorphous silica implanted with Fe ions and effect of subsequent energetic heavy ion irradiation

Iwase, Akihiro*; Fukuda, Kengo*; Saito, Yuichi*; Okamoto, Yoshihiro; Semboshi, Satoshi*; Amekura, Hiroshi*; Matsui, Toshiyuki*

Journal of Applied Physics, 132(16), p.163902_1 - 163902_10, 2022/10

https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0102438

Amorphous SiO samples were implanted with 380 keV Fe ions at room temperature. After implantation, some of the samples were irradiated with 16 MeV Au ions. magnetic properties were investigated using a SQUID magnetometer, and the morphology of the Fe-implanted SiO samples was examined using transmission electron microscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (EXAFS and XANES), which showed that the size of Fe nanoparticles was increasing The size of Fe nanoparticles increased with increasing Fe implantation amount; some of the Fe nanoparticles consisted of Fe oxides, and the valence and structure of Fe atoms became closer to that of metallic -Fe with increasing Fe injection amount. The magnetization-field curve of the sample implanted with a small amount of Fe was reproduced by Langevin's equation, suggesting that the Fe nanoparticles behave in a superparamagnetic manner. In addition, when a large amount of Fe was implanted, the magnetization-magnetic field curve shows a ferromagnetic state. These magnetic property results are consistent with the X-ray absorption results. Subsequent 16 MeV Au irradiation crushed the Fe nanoparticles, resulting in a decrease in magnetization.

Activity enhancement of platinum oxygen-reduction electrocatalysts using ion-beam induced defects

Kimata, Tetsuya*; Kakitani, Kenta*; Yamamoto, Shunya*; Shimoyama, Iwao; Matsumura, Daiju; Iwase, Akihiro*; Mao, W.*; Kobayashi, Tomohiro*; Yamaki, Tetsuya*; Terai, Takayuki*

Physical Review Materials (Internet), 6(3), p.035801_1 - 035801_7, 2022/03

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevMaterials.6.035801

Polarization analysis for small-angle neutron scattering with a He spin filter at a pulsed neutron source

Okudaira, Takuya; Ueda, Yuki; Hiroi, Kosuke; Motokawa, Ryuhei; Inamura, Yasuhiro; Takata, Shinichi; Oku, Takayuki; Suzuki, Junichi*; Takahashi, Shingo*; Endo, Hitoshi*; et al.

Journal of Applied Crystallography, 54(2), p.548 - 556, 2021/04

https://doi.org/10.1107/S1600576721001643

Neutron polarization analysis (NPA) for small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) experiments using a pulsed neutron source was successfully achieved by applying a He spin filter as a spin analyzer for the scattered neutrons. The He spin filter covers a sufficient solid angle for performing SANS experiments, and the relaxation time of the He polarization is sufficient for continuous use over a few days, thus reaching the typical duration required for a complete set of SANS experiments. Although accurate evaluation of the incoherent neutron scattering, which is predominantly attributable to hydrogen atoms in samples, is practically difficult using calculations based on the sample elemental composition, the developed NPA approach with consideration of the influence of multiple neutron scattering enabled reliable decomposition of the SANS intensity distribution into the coherent and incoherent scattering components. To date, NPA has not been well established as a standard technique for SANS experiments at pulsed neutron sources. This work is anticipated to greatly contribute to the accurate determination of the coherent neutron scattering component for scatterers in various types of organic sample systems in SANS experiments at J-PARC.

Study of quasielastic barrier distributions as a step towards the synthesis of superheavy elements with hot fusion reactions

Tanaka, Taiki*; Morita, Kosuke*; Morimoto, Koji*; Kaji, Daiya*; Haba, Hiromitsu*; Boll, R. A.*; Brewer, N. T.*; Van Cleve, S.*; Dean, D. J.*; Ishizawa, Satoshi*; et al.

Physical Review Letters, 124(5), p.052502_1 - 052502_6, 2020/02

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.124.052502

Proceedings of the 2016 Symposium on Nuclear Data; November 17-18, 2016, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan

Sanami, Toshiya*; Nishio, Katsuhisa; Hagiwara, Masayuki*; Iwase, Hiroshi*; Kunieda, Satoshi; Nakamura, Shoji

JAEA-Conf 2017-001, 222 Pages, 2018/01

JAEA-Conf-2017-001.pdf:30.89MB

The 2016 Symposium on Nuclear Data was held at Kobayashi Hall of High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, on November 17 and 18, 2016. The symposium was organized by the Nuclear Data Division of the Atomic Energy Society of Japan in cooperation with Radiation Science Center, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, Nuclear Science and Engineering Center of Japan Atomic Energy Agency and North Kanto Branch of Atomic Energy Society of Japan. In the symposium, there were one tutorial, "Historical Evolution of Accelerators" and four oral sessions, "Overview of the ImPACT Program - Reduction and Resource Recycling of High Level Wastes through Nuclear Transmutation", "Facilities and experiments for nuclear data in Japan", "Nuclear data from measurement to application", and "Progress of neutron nuclear data measurement and research for its basics and application". In addition, recent research progress on experiments, evaluation, benchmark and application was presented in the poster session. Among 65 participants, all presentations and following discussions were very active and fruitful. This report consists of total 31 papers including 10 oral and 21 poster presentations.

Assessment of equivalent dose of the lens of the eyes and the extremities to workers under nonhomogeneous exposure situation in nuclear and accelerator facilities by means of measurements using a phantom coupled with Monte Carlo simulation

Yoshitomi, Hiroshi; Hagiwara, Masayuki*; Kowatari, Munehiko; Nishino, Sho; Sanami, Toshiya*; Iwase, Hiroshi*

Proceedings of 14th International Congress of the International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA-14), Vol.3 (Internet), p.1188 - 1195, 2017/11

http://www.irpa.net/docs/IRPA14%20Proceedings%20Volume%203.pdf

The equivalent doses to the lens of the eye and extremities for radiation workers should be assessed properly to ensure that the dose limits are not exceeded. Recently, the following two issues has pressed demand on more appropriate evaluation of the equivalent doses of the lens of the eye and extremity. One is the new occupational dose limit for the lens of the eye the ICRP recommended. The other is growing demand on handling of highly activated materials in the maintenance works of an accelerator and contaminated materials during the decommissioning works of nuclear facility, which increases the potential exposure risk to the extremities to a wider variety of radio-nuclides. Since the points to be assessed for the exposures to the lens of the eye and the extremities are apart from the trunk, the homogeneity of the radiation fields would be significantly impact on the assessment of these equivalent doses. However, there has been no sufficient and available method to identify the nonhomogeneous situations systematically in terms of the eye lens or extremity monitoring. The goal of this study is to provide the framework to identify the nonhomogeneous exposure situations. In order to fulfil this purpose, newly proposed indices to represent the homogeneity were calculated by Monte Carlo simulation incorporated with mathematical phantom, verifying the benchmark measurements. Important parameters that significantly impact on these indices were also shown from the various trials of calculations of homogeneity indices.

Characterization of the PTW 34031 ionization chamber (PMI) at RCNP with high energy neutrons ranging from 100 - 392 MeV

Theis, C.*; Carbonez, P.*; Feldbaumer, E.*; Forkel-Wirth, D.*; Jaegerhofer, L.*; Pangallo, M.*; Perrin, D.*; Urscheler, C.*; Roesler, S.*; Vincke, H.*; et al.

EPJ Web of Conferences, 153, p.08018_1 - 08018_5, 2017/09

https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/201715308018

At CERN, gas-filled ionization chambers PTW-34031 (PMI) are commonly used in radiation fields including neutrons, protons and -rays. A response function for each particle is calculated by the radiation transport code FLUKA. To validate a response function to high energy neutrons, benchmark experiments with quasi mono-energetic neutrons have been carried out at RCNP, Osaka University. For neutron irradiation with energies below 200 MeV, very good agreement was found comparing the FLUKA simulations and the measurements. In addition it was found that at proton energies of 250 and 392 MeV, results calculated with neutron sources underestimate the experimental data due to a non-negligible gamma component originating from the target Li(p,n)Be reaction.

Radiolysis of mixed solutions of Cl and Br and its effect on corrosion of a low-alloy steel

Hata, Kuniki; Inoue, Hiroyuki*; Kojima, Takao*; Kasahara, Shigeki; Hanawa, Satoshi; Ueno, Fumiyoshi; Tsukada, Takashi; Iwase, Akihiro*

Proceedings of Symposium on Water Chemistry and Corrosion in Nuclear Power Plants in Asia 2017 (AWC 2017) (USB Flash Drive), p.304 - 314, 2017/09

A model simulation of radiolysis of mixed solutions of NaCl and NaBr was carried out. The simulation result agreed well with the experimental result, and Br played an important role in determining the amounts of products from water radiolysis. The simulation result also showed that, in highly pure NaCl solutions, the steady-state concentration of a radolytic product, HO, was mainly controlled by three reactions (Cl + OH ClOH, ClOH Cl + OH, and ClOH + H Cl + HO), which indicated that accurate evaluation of the rate constants of these reactions was very important in improving the radiolysis simulation of solutions containing Cl. An immersion test using a low-alloy steel, SQV2A, in the mixed solutions was also carried out under irradiation. The corrosion rate increased or decreased depending on the pH or the concentrations of the halide ions in a similar way to the change in concentration of HO produced from water radiolysis, which is affected by the presence of Cl and Br. However, at high pH values (12), the corrosion rate was almost zero even though the concentration of HO was high. This could be attributed to enhancement of the passivity of test specimens at higher pH values.