Crystal and magnetic structures of double hexagonal close-packed iron deuteride

Saito, Hiroyuki*; Machida, Akihiko*; Iizuka, Riko*; Hattori, Takanori; Sano, Asami; Funakoshi, Kenichi*; Sato, Toyoto*; Orimo, Shinichi*; Aoki, Katsutoshi*

Scientific Reports (Internet), 10, p.9934_1 - 9934_8, 2020/06

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-66669-4

Neutron powder diffraction profiles were collected for iron deuteride (FeDx) while the temperature decreased from 1023 to 300 K for a pressure range of 4-6 GPa. The ' deuteride with a double hexagonal close-packed (dhcp) structure, which coexisted with other stable or metastable deutrides at each temperature and pressure condition, formed solid solutions with a composition of FeD at 673 K and 6.1 GPa and FeD at 603 K and 4.8 GPa. Upon stepwise cooling to 300 K, the D-content x increased to a stoichiometric value of 1.0 to form monodeuteride FeD. In the dhcp FeD at 300 K and 4.2 GPa, dissolved D atoms fully occupied the octahedral interstitial sites, slightly displaced from the octahedral centers in the dhcp metal lattice, and the dhcp sequence of close-packed Fe planes contained hcp-stacking faults at 12%. Magnetic moments with 2.11 0.06 B/Fe-atom aligned ferromagnetically in parallel on the Fe planes.

Effectiveness of decontamination by litter removal in Japanese forest ecosystems affected by the Fukushima nuclear accident

Koarashi, Jun; Atarashi-Andoh, Mariko; Nishimura, Shusaku; Muto, Kotomi*

Scientific Reports (Internet), 10(1), p.6614_1 - 6614_11, 2020/04

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-63520-8

We conducted a pilot-scale decontamination study in a deciduous broadleaved forest in Fukushima. The entire forest, other than two untreated areas, was decontaminated by removing the litter layer approximately 3.3 years after the accident. For three years after decontamination, we quantified Cs contamination levels in the litter and topsoil layers and in the tree leaves, in the untreated and decontaminated areas. The decreased inventories of litter-associated Cs in the decontaminated areas were observed only in the first year after decontamination. Generally, no decontamination effects were observed on the Cs transfer in tree leaves. The primary reason for this was the rapid shift in the main reservoir of Cs from litter layers to the underlying mineral soil, which differs from the observations in post-Chernobyl studies of European forest ecosystems. The results suggest that litter-removal decontamination can only be successful if it is implemented more quickly for Japanese forest ecosystems.

Reconstruction of residents' thyroid equivalent doses from internal radionuclides after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident

Oba, Takashi*; Ishikawa, Tetsuo*; Nagai, Haruyasu; Tokonami, Shinji*; Hasegawa, Arifumi*; Suzuki, Gen*

Scientific Reports (Internet), 10(1), p.3639_1 - 3639_11, 2020/02

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-60453-0

Internal doses of residents after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident have been reconstructed. In total 896 behaviour records in the Fukushima Health Management Survey were analysed to estimate thyroid doses via inhalation, using a spatiotemporal radionuclides concentration database constructed by atmospheric dispersion simulations. After a decontamination factor for sheltering and a modifying factor for the dose coefficient were applied, estimated thyroid doses were close to those estimated on the basis of direct thyroid measurement. The median and 95th percentile of thyroid doses of 1-year-old children ranged from 1.2 to 15 mSv and from 7.5 to 30 mSv, respectively.

Stacking fault energy analyses of additively manufactured stainless steel 316L and CrCoNi medium entropy alloy using in situ neutron diffraction

Woo, W.*; Jeong, J. S.*; Kim, D.-K.*; Lee, C. M.*; Choi, S.-H.*; Suh, J.-Y.*; Lee, S. Y.*; Harjo, S.; Kawasaki, Takuro

Scientific Reports (Internet), 10(1), p.1350_1 - 1350_15, 2020/01

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-58273-3

Hexagonal close-packed iron hydride behind the conventional phase diagram

Machida, Akihiko*; Saito, Hiroyuki*; Hattori, Takanori; Sano, Asami; Funakoshi, Kenichi*; Sato, Toyoto*; Orimo, Shinichi*; Aoki, Katsutoshi*

Scientific Reports (Internet), 9(1), p.12290_1 - 12290_9, 2019/08

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-48817-7

Hexagonal close-packed iron hydride, hcp FeHx, is absent from the conventional phase diagram of the Fe-H system, although hcp metallic Fe exists stably over extensive temperature () and pressure () conditions, including those corresponding to the Earth's inner core. X-ray and neutron diffraction measurements at temperatures ranging from 298 to 1073 K and H pressures ranging from 4 to 7 GPa revealed that the hcp hydride was formed for FeH compositions when . Hydrogen atoms occupied the octahedral interstitial sites of the host metal lattice both partially and randomly. The hcp hydride exhibited a H-induced volume expansion of 2.48(5) /H-atom, which was larger than that of the face-centered cubic (fcc) hydride. The hcp hydride showed an increase in with , whereas the fcc hydride showed a corresponding decrease. The present study provides guidance for further investigations of the Fe-H system over an extensive -- region.

Intensity modulated radiation fields induce protective effects and reduce importance of dose-rate effects

Matsuya, Yusuke; McMahon, S. J.*; Ghita, M.*; Yoshii, Yuji*; Sato, Tatsuhiko; Date, Hiroyuki*; Prise, K. M.*

Scientific Reports (Internet), 9(1), p.9483_1 - 9483_12, 2019/07

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-45960-z

In radiotherapy, intensity modulated radiation fields and complex dose-delivery are used to prescribe doses to tumors. Here, we analyzed the impact of modulated field on radio-sensitivity and cell recovery during irradiation time. The dose was delivered to either 50% of the area of the flask containing cells (half-field) or 100% of the flask (uniform-field). We also modelled cell-killing considering dose-rate effects and intercellular signals. It is found that (i) in-field cell survival under half-field exposure is higher than uniform-field exposure even with the same dose; (ii) the importance of sub-lethal damage repair in normal human skin fibroblast cells under the half-field is reduced; (iii) the increase of cell survival under half-field is predominantly attributed to not rescue effects (increased repair) but protective effects (reduced initial DNA lesion yield). These findings provide new understanding of radio-sensitivity for hit and non-hit cells under non-uniform exposure.

A New perspective on the Cs retention mechanism in surface soils during the early stage after the Fukushima nuclear accident

Koarashi, Jun; Nishimura, Shusaku; Atarashi-Andoh, Mariko; Muto, Kotomi; Matsunaga, Takeshi*

Scientific Reports (Internet), 9, p.7034_1 - 7034_10, 2019/05

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-43499-7

The aim of the present study is to explore the retention mechanisms of Cs in the surface soil layers of terrestrial ecosystems affected by the Fukushima NPP accident, with a specific focus on the interactions between Cs, soil minerals, and organic matter. Soil samples were collected from field, orchard, and forest sites in July 2011, separated into three soil fractions with different mineral-organic interaction characteristics. The results show that 20-71% of the Cs was retained in association with relatively mineral-free, particulate organic matter-dominant fractions in the orchard and forest surface soil layers. Given the physicochemical and mineralogical properties and the Cs extractability of the soils, Cs incorporation into the complex structure of particulate organic matter is likely the main mechanism for Cs retention in the surface soil layers.

Dissolution behaviour of radiocaesium-bearing microparticles released from the Fukushima nuclear plant

Okumura, Taiga*; Yamaguchi, Noriko*; Dohi, Terumi; Iijima, Kazuki; Kogure, Toshihiro*

Scientific Reports (Internet), 9(1), p.3520_1 - 3520_9, 2019/03

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-40423-x

Radiocesium-bearing microparticles (CsMPs) were released by the FDNPP accident. We conducted dissolution experiments of CsMPs by reaction with pure water absorbing CO from the atmosphere and seawater. The activation energy for the dissolution of CsMPs was estimated to be 67 and 89 kJ/mol, and the dissolution rate at 13C was 0.011 and 0.130 m/y for pure water and seawater, respectively. Probably the faster dissolution rate in seawater than in pure water is mainly owing to the difference in pH. The shapes of CsMPs dissolved in pure water were considerably altered. Tin oxide and iron oxide nanoparticulates were formed on their surfaces. Such features were similar to those observed in a CsMP collected recently in Fukushima Prefecture, indicating that dissolution of CsMPs is also occurring in the environment. In the case of CsMPs dissolved in seawater, a crust of secondary minerals rich in Mg and Fe was formed and the glass matrix became smaller inside the crust.

Quantum magnetisms in uniform triangular lattices LiMoO ( = In, Sc)

Iida, Kazuki*; Yoshida, Hiroyuki*; Okabe, Hirotaka*; Katayama, Naoyuki*; Ishii, Yuto*; Koda, Akihiro*; Inamura, Yasuhiro; Murai, Naoki; Ishikado, Motoyuki*; Kadono, Ryosuke*; et al.

Scientific Reports (Internet), 9(1), p.1826_1 - 1826_9, 2019/02

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-36123-7

High-energy spin fluctuation in low-T iron-based superconductor LaFePO

Ishikado, Motoyuki*; Shamoto, Shinichi; Kodama, Katsuaki; Kajimoto, Ryoichi; Nakamura, Mitsutaka; Hong, T.*; Mutka, H.*

Scientific Reports (Internet), 8, p.16343_1 - 16343_6, 2018/11

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-33878-x

Spin fluctuations are widely believed to play an important role as one of the most possible mechanisms for unconventional high-temperature superconductors. Here, the spin fluctuation in LaFePO is found at high energies such as 30-50 meV with comparable intensity to an optimally doped LaFeAs(O,F).