Lithium-containing radiator materials for neutron ionization chambers

The paper presents the results of material testing for the purpose of obtaining radiator material – acomposite coating with neutron conversion material – for ionization chambers (IC) which contain the 6Li isotope and convert neutron radiation to a flux of high-energy charged particles through the 6L...

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Main Authors: Petr B. Baskov, Boris S. Salamakha, Yakov V. Glazyuk, Artur A. Namakshinas, Sergey A. Bondarenko, Ilya M. Mushin, Alexander S. Khudin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: National Research Nuclear University (MEPhI) 2025-03-01
Series:Nuclear Energy and Technology
Online Access:https://nucet.pensoft.net/article/151566/download/pdf/
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author Petr B. Baskov
Boris S. Salamakha
Yakov V. Glazyuk
Artur A. Namakshinas
Sergey A. Bondarenko
Ilya M. Mushin
Alexander S. Khudin
author_facet Petr B. Baskov
Boris S. Salamakha
Yakov V. Glazyuk
Artur A. Namakshinas
Sergey A. Bondarenko
Ilya M. Mushin
Alexander S. Khudin
author_sort Petr B. Baskov
collection DOAJ
description The paper presents the results of material testing for the purpose of obtaining radiator material – acomposite coating with neutron conversion material – for ionization chambers (IC) which contain the 6Li isotope and convert neutron radiation to a flux of high-energy charged particles through the 6Li(n, α)3H nuclear reaction. The proposed method for forming lithium-containing radiator material allows ensuring a high temperature resistance of up to 600 °C and a mechanical strength at the expense of adhesion to the IC electrode material (grade 321 steel). The advantages of a lithium-containing radiator, compared to a boron radiator, are explained by the smaller cross-section of the 6Li-neutron interaction: the smaller efficiency of the "neutron → charged particle" conversion is made up for by a high power density and a prolonged free path of reaction products in the radiator material, which makes it possible to increase the surface density of 6Li atoms, while reducing the extent of "burnup" in neutron fields. The IC electrode radiator material consists of a two-layer composite coating comprising an adhesive silicate layer and a functional neutron-sensitive lithium fluoride layer. Measurements at an alpha spectrometric facility have shown that the coating has a high energy output (~ 2.8·10–3 MeV/neutron), which remains stable after four thermal cycles of up to 600 °C. The coating is resistant to vibration when exposed to frequencies of 35 to 200 Hz. The paper presents the results of testing the IC mockup with a lithium-containing radiator material. When irradiated with a neutron flux of 6·103 cm–2·s–1, the IC mockup sensitivity value was about 10–15A·s·cm2/neutron, which agrees with the calculated value.
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publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher National Research Nuclear University (MEPhI)
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spelling doaj-art-88027d1ac4824eddb5f2dc7e7e8ec8552025-08-20T02:51:39ZengNational Research Nuclear University (MEPhI)Nuclear Energy and Technology2452-30382025-03-01111657010.3897/nucet.11.151566151566Lithium-containing radiator materials for neutron ionization chambersPetr B. Baskov0Boris S. Salamakha1Yakov V. Glazyuk2Artur A. Namakshinas3Sergey A. Bondarenko4Ilya M. Mushin5Alexander S. Khudin6NIKIET JSCNIKIET JSCNIKIET JSCNIKIET JSCNIKIET JSCNIKIET JSCNIKIET JSCThe paper presents the results of material testing for the purpose of obtaining radiator material – acomposite coating with neutron conversion material – for ionization chambers (IC) which contain the 6Li isotope and convert neutron radiation to a flux of high-energy charged particles through the 6Li(n, α)3H nuclear reaction. The proposed method for forming lithium-containing radiator material allows ensuring a high temperature resistance of up to 600 °C and a mechanical strength at the expense of adhesion to the IC electrode material (grade 321 steel). The advantages of a lithium-containing radiator, compared to a boron radiator, are explained by the smaller cross-section of the 6Li-neutron interaction: the smaller efficiency of the "neutron → charged particle" conversion is made up for by a high power density and a prolonged free path of reaction products in the radiator material, which makes it possible to increase the surface density of 6Li atoms, while reducing the extent of "burnup" in neutron fields. The IC electrode radiator material consists of a two-layer composite coating comprising an adhesive silicate layer and a functional neutron-sensitive lithium fluoride layer. Measurements at an alpha spectrometric facility have shown that the coating has a high energy output (~ 2.8·10–3 MeV/neutron), which remains stable after four thermal cycles of up to 600 °C. The coating is resistant to vibration when exposed to frequencies of 35 to 200 Hz. The paper presents the results of testing the IC mockup with a lithium-containing radiator material. When irradiated with a neutron flux of 6·103 cm–2·s–1, the IC mockup sensitivity value was about 10–15A·s·cm2/neutron, which agrees with the calculated value.https://nucet.pensoft.net/article/151566/download/pdf/
spellingShingle Petr B. Baskov
Boris S. Salamakha
Yakov V. Glazyuk
Artur A. Namakshinas
Sergey A. Bondarenko
Ilya M. Mushin
Alexander S. Khudin
Lithium-containing radiator materials for neutron ionization chambers
Nuclear Energy and Technology
title Lithium-containing radiator materials for neutron ionization chambers
title_full Lithium-containing radiator materials for neutron ionization chambers
title_fullStr Lithium-containing radiator materials for neutron ionization chambers
title_full_unstemmed Lithium-containing radiator materials for neutron ionization chambers
title_short Lithium-containing radiator materials for neutron ionization chambers
title_sort lithium containing radiator materials for neutron ionization chambers
url https://nucet.pensoft.net/article/151566/download/pdf/
work_keys_str_mv AT petrbbaskov lithiumcontainingradiatormaterialsforneutronionizationchambers
AT borisssalamakha lithiumcontainingradiatormaterialsforneutronionizationchambers
AT yakovvglazyuk lithiumcontainingradiatormaterialsforneutronionizationchambers
AT arturanamakshinas lithiumcontainingradiatormaterialsforneutronionizationchambers
AT sergeyabondarenko lithiumcontainingradiatormaterialsforneutronionizationchambers
AT ilyammushin lithiumcontainingradiatormaterialsforneutronionizationchambers
AT alexanderskhudin lithiumcontainingradiatormaterialsforneutronionizationchambers