Neutron resonance absorption imaging of simulated high-level radioactive waste in borosilicate glass

大場 洋次郎; 元川 竜平; 金子 耕士; 永井 崇之; 土川 雄介; 篠原 武尚; Parker, J. D.*; 岡本 芳浩

Scientific Reports (Internet), 13, p.10071_1 - 10071_8, 2023/06

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-37157-2

The spatial distribution of constituent elements in borosilicate glasses containing simulated high-level radioactive liquid waste (HLLW) was investigated using neutron resonance absorption imaging. The resonance absorption dips of Rh, Pd, Na, Gd, Cs, and Sm were detected in the neutron transmission spectra of the glass samples. The neutron transmission images at the resonance energies of these elements provided the spatial distributions within the glass samples. Rh and Pd led sedimentation, while Gd, Sm, and Cs were uniformly dispersed. These results clearly show the potential of neutron resonance absorption imaging for characterizing borosilicate glasses.

Partial breakdown of translation symmetry at a structural quantum critical point associated with a ferroelectric soft mode

石井 悠衣*; 山本 有梨沙*; 佐藤 直大*; 南部 雄亮*; 河村 聖子; 村井 直樹; 尾原 幸治*; 河口 彰吾*; 森 孝雄*; 森 茂生*

Physical Review B, 106(13), p.134111_1 - 134111_7, 2022/10

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.106.134111

We report that complete suppression of a phonon-driven structural phase transition causes partial breakdown of a three-dimensional translation symmetry in a well-defined sublattice. This state is revealed for a dielectric compound, BaSrAlO, that comprises an AlO network incorporated into a hexagonal Ba(Sr) sublattice. Pair distribution function analyses and inelastic neutron scattering experiments provide clear-cut evidence of the AlO network forming a continuum of Al-O short-range correlations similar to glasses, whereas the Ba(Sr) sublattice preserves the original translational symmetry. This glassy network significantly dampens the phonon spectrum and transforms it into the broad one resembling those typically observed in glass materials.

Improvement of nano-polycrystalline diamond anvil cells with Zr-based bulk metallic glass cylinder for higher pressures; Application to Laue-TOF diffractometer

山下 恵史朗*; 小松 一生*; 大原 高志; 宗像 孝司*; 入舩 徹男*; 新名 亨*; 杉山 和正*; 川又 透*; 鍵 裕之*

High Pressure Research, 42(1), p.121 - 135, 2022/03

https://doi.org/10.1080/08957959.2022.2045982

We improved diamond anvil cells with a tubular frame made of Zr-based bulk metallic glass and nano-polycrystalline diamond anvils for single-crystal neutron diffraction. The thicker tubular frame was confirmed through experimentation as stably generating 4.5 GPa. Its feasibility for neutron diffraction was assessed at the Laue-TOF diffractometer at the BL18 (SENJU) beamline in the MLF J-PARC using time-resolved two-dimensional detectors covering wide solid angles. In addition to ambient-pressure measurements of NHCl, diffraction patterns of a high-pressure phase of ice were also collected in-situ. The obtained intensities are of refinable quality sufficient for structure analysis.

Microscopic dynamics of lithium diffusion in single crystal of the solid-state electrolyte LaLiTiO (x = 0.13) studied by quasielastic neutron scattering

松浦 直人*; 藤原 靖幸*; 森分 博紀*; 尾原 幸治*; 川北 至信

Physical Review B, 104(9), p.094305_1 - 094305_7, 2021/09

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.104.094305

Quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS) measurements combined with first principles based molecular dynamics calculations were conducted to study the dynamics of Li ions in a solid-state electrolyte LaLiTiO (LLTO) with . By using a large Li-enriched single crystal sample, a QENS signal was clearly observed along the three principal axes [110], [111], and [001] at a temperature () of 600 K. Wave vector dependence of the linewidth of the QENS signal along each direction was explained well using the Chudley-Elliot model for jumps between the A sites of the perovskite lattice through the bottleneck square, which was also supported by molecular dynamics calculations. The estimated self-diffusion coefficient of Li () in the ab plane was slightly larger than that along the c axis, suggesting quasi-isotropic diffusion, that is, the three-dimensional diffusion of Li ions. The decrease in with decreasing was reasonably explained by a thermal activation process with the activation energy determined from ionic-conductivity measurements. Furthermore, the estimated values of the self-diffusion coefficient are comparable to those in the sulfide-based Li ion conductor, LiPS, with 10 times larger ionic conductivity, which clarifies how to understand the Li conduction mechanism in LLTO and LiPS in a unified manner.

Charge-density-wave order and multiple magnetic transitions in divalent europium compound EuAl

金子 耕士; 川崎 卓郎; 仲村 愛*; 宗像 孝司*; 中尾 朗子*; 花島 隆泰*; 鬼柳 亮嗣; 大原 高志; 辺土 正人*; 仲間 隆男*; et al.

Journal of the Physical Society of Japan, 90(6), p.064704_1 - 064704_6, 2021/06

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSJ.90.064704

Multiple transition phenomena in divalent Eu compound EuAl with the tetragonal structure were investigated via single crystal time-of-flight neutron Laue technique. At 30 K below a charge-density-wave (CDW) transition, superlattice peaks emerge near nuclear Bragg peaks described by an ordering vector = (0 0 ). In contrast, magnetic peaks appear at with = 0.09 below = 15.4 K, and moves to with = 0.19 below =12.2 K, whereas no distinct change in the magnetic Bragg peak was detected at and . The structural modification with is characterized by an absence of the superlattice peak in (0 0 ). Considering an absence of splitting in magnetic peaks along , the structural transition is mainly ascribed to a displacement of Al ions within the tetragonal -plane. Complex incommensurate magnetic transitions are in stark contrast to a simple collinear commensurate structure in isovalent EuGa. This could stem from incompatible electronic structures with the CDW transition between two compounds.

Mechanistic study on the removal of Cs from contaminated soil by rapid ion exchange in subcritical water

福田 達弥*; 高橋 亮*; 原 卓飛*; 尾原 幸治*; 加藤 和男*; 松村 大樹; 稲葉 優介*; 中瀬 正彦*; 竹下 健二*

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 58(4), p.399 - 404, 2021/04

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2020.1830866

As a result of the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident in March 2011, massive amounts of soil were contaminated with radioactive Cs. To remediate the contaminated soil, we are developing a desorption technique for removing Cs from soil using subcritical water. We found that rapid ion exchange of Cs with multivalent cations in subcritical water is an effective desorption technique. To understand the mechanism and structural aspects of this process, in situ observations of the soil layer in subcritical water were carried out by high-energy X-ray diffraction together with pair distribution function analysis, and extended X-ray absorption fine structure analysis. Both the desorption experiments and structural studies indicated that conformational changes of the layer containing Cs under subcritical water conditions promoted intercalation of the hydrated Mg and trapped Cs, which facilitated a rapid ion-exchange reaction of Mg and Cs.

断層変位地形が不明瞭なひずみ集中帯におけるリニアメントカタログの作成; 南九州せん断帯における事例(受託研究)

後藤 翠; 佐々木 亮道*; 小松 哲也; 三輪 敦志*; 照沢 秀司*; 楮原 京子*; 島田 耕史

JAEA-Research 2020-013, 88 Pages, 2020/11

JAEA-Research-2020-013.pdf:22.86MB
JAEA-Research-2020-013-appendix(CD-ROM).zip:0.18MB

活断層を見出す調査技術の向上は、地層処分事業を進めるにあたって、断層のずれに伴う透水性の増加が生じる場所を避ける観点から重要である。通常、活断層の存在は、断層運動の地形学的痕跡である断層変位地形の空中写真判読と、現地の地質調査により確認する。しかし、地形学的な痕跡が不明瞭な場合の調査手法は十分整備されていない。そこで、本研究では、既往の地形学的手法を高度化する観点から、活断層を見出す指標となり得る地形学的特徴の直線状ないし弧状配列(リニアメント)を、通常の活断層研究ではほとんど無視されるような明瞭さが乏しいランクまで判読した。調査地域は、測地学的なひずみ集中帯であり、1997年鹿児島県北西部地震(Mj 6.6)の震源断層が伏在している南九州せん断帯である。本研究では、1/25,000地形図62枚の範囲の空中写真判読を実施し、得られた1,327条のリニアメントを地形図上に示し、リニアメントの分布密度,方向性,長さ,地形,地質などの項目について整理した。その結果、南九州せん断帯方向の東西系のリニアメントが西部で卓越し、鹿児島県北西部地震の余震分布域ではリニアメントが高密度で分布することが明らかとなった。これらの結果とともに、明瞭さ,方向,長さなどと地形的特徴の組み合わせによる類型化に基づく代表的な13条のリニアメントについてカタログをとりまとめた。

Successive phase transitions in IrSn (: La and Ce) investigated using neutron and X-ray diffraction

中里 晟也*; 岩佐 和晃*; 橋本 大輔*; 塩澤 真未*; 桑原 慶太郎*; 中尾 裕則*; 佐賀山 基*; 石角 元志*; 大原 高志; 中尾 朗子*; et al.

JPS Conference Proceedings (Internet), 30, p.011128_1 - 011128_6, 2020/03

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSCP.30.011128

Successive phase transitions of IrSn (: La and Ce) were studied using neutron and X-ray diffraction techniques. A semimetal CeIrSn undergoes three phase transitions: an antiferromagnetic ordering characterized by a propagation vector = (1/2, 1/2, 2/5) below 0.6 K, a structural transformation with = (1/4, 1/4, 1/4) at 2.0 K, and another structural transformation with = (1/2, 1/2, 0) above room temperature. LaIrSn was confirmed to be a superconductor below 2.5 K under the = (1/2, 1/2, 0) structure that also appears above room temperature.

Heavy fermion state of YbNiSi without local inversion symmetry

中村 翔太*; 兵頭 一志*; 松本 裕司*; 芳賀 芳範; 佐藤 仁*; 上田 茂典*; 三村 功次郎*; 斉木 克祥*; 磯 孝斉*; 山下 穣*; et al.

Journal of the Physical Society of Japan, 89(2), p.024705_1 - 024705_5, 2020/02

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSJ.89.024705

We have succeeded in growing a new heavy fermion compound YbNiSi by the flux method. From electrical resistivity, magnetization, specific heat, magnetic torque and X-ray photoemission measurements concluded that this compound is a heavy fermion compound exhibiting an antiferromagnetic order at 0.35 K.

Short- and middle-ranges order structures of KNbO nanocrystals

米田 安宏; 國定 諒一*; 近田 司*; 上野 慎太郎*; 藤井 一郎*; 永田 肇*; 尾原 幸治*; 和田 智志*

Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, 58(SL), p.SLLA03_1 - SLLA03_7, 2019/11

https://doi.org/10.7567/1347-4065/ab37e2

We studied KNbO nanocrystals grown by a solvothermal method. Average and local structures were refined by combining Rietveld and PDF analysis. We found that a rhombohedrally distorted NbO octahedron was maintained in short-range order region, even in the nanocrystals with a cubic average structure. The cubic structure of KNbO nanocrystals were observed as a disordered phase of the rhombohedral structure. The disordered feature can be understood that the structural transformation owing to the particle-size effect is analogous to the temperature-driven phase transition.