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.

Polarized neutrons observed nanometer-thick crystalline ice plates in frozen glucose solution

Kumada, Takayuki; Nakagawa, Hiroshi; Miura, Daisuke; Sekine, Yurina; Motokawa, Ryuhei; Hiroi, Kosuke; Inamura, Yasuhiro; Oku, Takayuki; Oishi, Kazuki*; Morikawa, Toshiaki*; et al.

Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters (Internet), 14(34), p.7638 - 7643, 2023/08

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c01448

The structure of nano-ice crystals in rapidly frozen glucose solution was elucidated by using spin-contrast-variation small-angle neutron scattering, which distinguishes the nano-ice crystal signal from the frozen amorphous solution signal by the polarization-dependent neutron scattering. The analysis revealed that the nano-ice crystals form a planar structure with a diameter exceeding tens of nanometers and a thickness of 1 nm, which is close to the critical nucleation size. This result suggests that the glucose molecules are preferentially bound to a specific face of nano-ice crystals, and then block the crystal growth perpendicular to that face.

Development of an continuous air monitor for the measurement of highly radioactive alpha-emitting particulates (-aerosols) under high humidity environment

Tsubota, Yoichi; Honda, Fumiya; Tokonami, Shinji*; Tamakuma, Yuki*; Nakagawa, Takahiro; Ikeda, Atsushi

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 1030, p.166475_1 - 166475_7, 2022/05

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2022.166475

In the long-lasting decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (1F), the dismantling of nuclear fuel debris (NFD) remaining in the damaged reactors is an unavoidable but significant issue with many technical difficulties. The dismantling is presumed to involve mechanical cutting, generating significant concentrations of particulates containing -radionuclides (-aerosols) that pose significant health risk upon inhalation. In order to minimize the radiation exposure of workers with -aerosols during the dismantling/decommissioning process at 1F, it is essential to monitor the concentration of -aerosols at the point of initial generation, i.e. inside the primary containment vessels (PCV) of the damaged reactors. Toward this end, an monitoring system for -aerosols ( alpha air monitor: IAAM) was developed and its technical performance was investigated under the conditions expected for the actual environments at 1F. IAAM was confirmed to fulfill four technical requirements: (1) steady operation under high humidity, (2) operation without using filters, (3) capability of measuring a high counting rate of -radiation, and (4) selective measurement of -radiation even under high radiation background with /-rays. IAAM is capable of selectively measuring -aerosols with a concentration of 3.3 10 Bq/cm or higher without saturation under a high humid environment (100%-relative humidity) and under high background with /-radiation (up to 100 mSv/h of -radiation). These results demonstrate promising potential of IAAM to be utilized as a reliable monitoring system for -aerosols during the dismantling of NFD, as well as the whole long-lasting decommissioning of 1F.

Evaluation of sample cell materials for aqueous solutions used in quasi-elastic neutron scattering measurements

Tominaga, Taiki*; Sahara, Masae*; Kawakita, Yukinobu; Nakagawa, Hiroshi; Yamada, Takeshi*

Journal of Applied Crystallography, 54(6), p.1631 - 1640, 2021/12

https://doi.org/10.1107/S1600576721009687

Conformational ensemble of a multidomain protein explored by Gd electron paramagnetic resonance

Saio, Tomohide*; Hiramatsu, Soya*; Asada, Mizue*; Nakagawa, Hiroshi; Shimizu, Kazumi*; Kumeta, Hiroyuki*; Nakamura, Toshikazu*; Ishimori, Koichiro*

Biophysical Journal, 120(15), p.2943 - 2951, 2021/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpj.2021.06.033

A rigid double-arm lanthanide tag was utilized in electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy to measure the distance between two specific points on a protein, and conformational states and distribution of a multi-domain protein enzyme MurD was investigated. Although the previous crystallographic and NMR studies have reported the three distinct conformational states of MurD, our data unveiled that the protein exists in much more variety of conformational states in the absence of the ligand. Given the fact that MurD is one of the potent drug target for infectious diseases, the finding in this study will provide important structural basis for drug development.

Dynamics of Cs in water and phyto- and zooplankton in a reservoir affected by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident

Tsuji, Hideki*; Nakagawa, Megumi*; Iijima, Kazuki; Funaki, Hironori; Yoshimura, Kazuya; Sakuma, Kazuyuki; Hayashi, Seiji*

Global Environmental Research (Internet), 24(2), p.115 - 127, 2021/06

Lake water, phytoplankton and zooplankton were sampled by a total of 12 quarterly surveys from August 2014 to May 2017 at a dam lake in the Fukushima nuclear disaster area, and variations of dissolved form of Cs and planktonic Cs were observed. Seasonal variations in dissolved Cs concentration with high in summer and low in winter were observed in the upstream, midstream and downstream areas of the lake, but no seasonal or site specific differences in planktonic Cs concentrations and dominant species were found. The amount of planktonic form of Cs in the water was less than 1.4% of the total Cs in the lake water, therefore the effect of plankton on the dynamics of Cs in the lake was minimal.

Corrosion of aluminum-based containers for neutron studies with aqueous samples under low temperatures

Tominaga, Taiki*; Sahara, Masae*; Kawakita, Yukinobu; Nakagawa, Hiroshi; Shimamoto, Naonobu*

JPS Conference Proceedings (Internet), 33, p.011094_1 - 011094_5, 2021/03

BB2019-2098.pdf:5.18MB

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSCP.33.011094

In quasielastic neutron scattering studies, aluminum or aluminum alloys are frequently employed as sample cells. With the increasing incident-neutron flux, the research area currently continues to expand; thus, obtaining data has become quicker than ever for dilute conditions. One such area is the water-containing systems. In this study, we investigated the effect of temperature on Al and found that even in a low temperature atmosphere, Al corrosion can occur. This was attributed to the different thermal expansion coefficients of Al as a base substrate and Al oxide as a passivating film.

Quartz cell for a backscattering spectrometer

Tominaga, Taiki*; Kawakita, Yukinobu; Nakagawa, Hiroshi; Yamada, Takeshi*; Shibata, Kaoru

JPS Conference Proceedings (Internet), 33, p.011086_1 - 011086_5, 2021/03

BB2019-1956.pdf:0.78MB

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSCP.33.011086

We developed a quartz double cylindrical sample cell optimized for a backscattering neutron spectrometer, especially for BL02 (DNA), MLF in J-PARC. A quartz glass tube, with one end closed, is shaved to obtain a wall thickness of 0.55 mm. The inner tube is properly centered using a protrusion into the outer tube such that the interstice between the outer and inner tubes keeps constant. This quartz cell can be used for samples that should not be in contact with the aluminum surface. We verified cell's background effect between the quartz cell and Al cell by QENS measurements using DO buffer. The elastic intensity profiles of the buffer in a low Q region were identical between both quartz cell and Al cell (A1070). In a high Q region, however, the profiles were different caused by the first sharp diffraction peak of quartz glass. For this region the data should be analyzed by consideration of absorption correction and diffraction in individual thickness of quartz cell.

High temperature gas-cooled reactors

Takeda, Tetsuaki*; Inagaki, Yoshiyuki; Aihara, Jun; Aoki, Takeshi; Fujiwara, Yusuke; Fukaya, Yuji; Goto, Minoru; Ho, H. Q.; Iigaki, Kazuhiko; Imai, Yoshiyuki; et al.

High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactors; JSME Series in Thermal and Nuclear Power Generation, Vol.5, 464 Pages, 2021/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/C2018-0-05383-9

As a general overview of the research and development of a High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) in JAEA, this book describes the achievements by the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) on the designs, key component technologies such as fuel, reactor internals, high temperature components, etc., and operational experience such as rise-to-power tests, high temperature operation at 950C, safety demonstration tests, etc. In addition, based on the knowledge of the HTTR, the development of designs and component technologies such as high performance fuel, helium gas turbine and hydrogen production by IS process for commercial HTGRs are described. These results are very useful for the future development of HTGRs. This book is published as one of a series of technical books on fossil fuel and nuclear energy systems by the Power Energy Systems Division of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Dynamics of proteins with different molecular structures under solution condition

Inoue, Rintaro*; Oda, Takashi*; Nakagawa, Hiroshi; Tominaga, Taiki*; Saio, Tomohide*; Kawakita, Yukinobu; Shimizu, Masahiro*; Okuda, Aya*; Morishima, Ken*; Sato, Nobuhiro*; et al.

Scientific Reports (Internet), 10, p.21678_1 - 21678_10, 2020/12

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-78311-4

Incoherent quasielastic neutron scattering (iQENS) is a fascinating technique for investigating the internal dynamics of protein. However, both low flux of neutron beam and absence of analytical procedure for extracting the internal dynamics from iQENS profile have been obstacles for studying it under physiological condition (in solution). Thanks to the recent development of neutron source, spectrometer and computational technique, they enable us to decouple internal dynamics, translational and rotational diffusions from the iQENS profile. The internal dynamics of two proteins: globular domain protein (GDP) and intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) in solution were studied. It was found that the average relaxation rate of IDP was larger than that of GDP. Through the detailed analyses on their internal dynamics, it was revealed that the fraction of mobile H atoms in IDP was much higher than that in GDP. Interestingly, the fraction of mobile H atoms was closely related to the fraction of H atoms on highly solvent exposed surfaces. The iQENS study presented that the internal dynamics were governed by the highly solvent exposed amino acid residues depending upon protein molecular architectures.