INVESTIGATION OF MICROSTRUCTURE AND CONDUCTIVE MECHANISM OF HIGH DENSITY POLYETHYLENE/CARBON BLACK PARTICLE COMPOSITE BY POSITRON ANNIHILATION LIFETIME SPECTROSCOPY

The microstructure and conductive mechanism of high density polyethylene/carbon black (HDPE/CB) composite were investigated by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS). The PALS were measured in two series of samples, one with various CB contents in the composites and the other with various gamma-irradiation doses in HDPE/CB composite containing 20 wt% CB. It was found that CB particles distribute in the amorphous regions, the CB critical content value in HDPE/CB composite is about 16.7 wt% and the suitable gamma-irradiation dose for improving the conductive behavior of HDPE/CB composite is about 20 Mrad. The result observed for the second set of samples suggests that gamma-irradiation causes not only cross-linking in amorphous regions but also destruction of the partial crystalline structure. Therefore, a suitable irradiation dose, about 20 Mrad, can induce sufficient cross-linking in the amorphous regions without enhancing the decomposition of crystalline structure, so that the positive temperature coefficient (PTC) effect remains while the negative temperature coefficient (NTC) effect is suppressed. A new interpretation of the conductive mechanism, which might provide a more detailed explanation of the PTC effect and the NTC effect has been proposed.

Characterization of molten 2LiF–BeF_2 salt impregnated into graphite matrix of fuel elements for thorium molten salt reactor

The impregnation behavior of molten 2LiF–BeF_2(FLiBe) salt into a graphite matrix of fuel elements for a solid fuel thorium molten salt reactor(TMSR-SF) at pressures varying from 0.4 to 1.0 MPa was studied by mercury intrusion, molten salt impregnation, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy techniques.It was found that the entrance pore diameter of the graphite matrix is less than 1.0 μm and the contact angle is about 135°. The threshold impregnation pressure was found to be around 0.6 MPa experimentally, consistent with the predicted value of 0.57 MPa by the Washburn equation. With the increase of pressure from 0.6 to 1.0 MPa, the average weight gain of the matrix increased from 3.05 to 10.48%,corresponding to an impregnation volume increase from 2.74 to 9.40%. The diffraction patterns of FLiBe are found in matrices with high impregnation pressures(0.8 MPa and1.0 MPa). The FLiBe with sizes varying from tens of nanometers to a micrometer mainly occupies the open pores in the graphite matrix. The graphite matrix could inhibit the impregnation of the molten salt in the TMSR-SF with a maximum operation pressure of less than 0.5 MPa.

Measurement of the ^(232)Th(n,f)cross section in the 1-200 MeV range at the CSNS Back-n

The ^(232)Th(n,f)cross section is very important in basic nuclear physics and applications based on the Th/U fuel cycle.Using the time-of-flight method and a multi-cell fast-fission ionization chamber,a novel measurement of the^(232)Th(n,f)cross sec-tion relative to^(235)U in the 1–200 MeV range was performed at the China Spallation Neutron Source Back-n white neutron source(Back-n).The fission event-neutron energy spectra of^(232)Th and^(235)U fission cells were measured in the single-bunch mode.Corrected 232Th/235U fission cross-sectional ratios were obtained,and the measurement uncertainties were 2.5–3.7%for energies in the 2–20 MeV range and 3.6–6.2%for energies in the 20–200 MeV range.The^(232)Th(n,f)cross section was obtained by introducing the standard cross section of^(235)U(n,f).The results were compared with those of previous theoreti-cal calculations,measurements,and evaluations.The measured 232Th fission cross section agreed with the main evaluation results in terms of the experimental uncertainty,and 232Th fission resonances were observed in the 1–3 MeV range.The present results provide^(232)Th(n,f)cross-sectional data for the evaluation and design of Th/U cycle nuclear systems.

A segmented conical electric lens for optimization of the beam spot of the low-energy muon facility at PSI: a Geant4 simulation analysis

The low-energy muon facility at PSI provides nearly fully polarized positive muons with tunable energies in the ke V range to carry out muon spin rotation(LE-μSR)experiments with nanometer depth resolution on thin films,heterostructures, and near-surface regions. The low-energy muon beam is focused and transported to the sample by electrostatic lenses. In order to achieve a minimum beam spot size at the sample position and to enable the steering of the beam in the horizontal and vertical direction, a special electrostatic device has been implemented close to the sample position. It consists of a cylinder at ground potential followed by four conically shaped electrodes,which can be operated at different electric potential. In LE-μSR experiments, an electric field at the sample along the beam direction can be applied to accelerate/decelerate muons to different energies(0.5–30 keV). Additionally, a horizontal or vertical magnetic field can be superimposed for transverse or longitudinal field μSR experiments. The focusing properties of the conical lens in the presence of these additional electric and magnetic fields have been investigated and optimized by Geant4 simulations. Some experimental tests were also performed and show that the simulation well describes the experimental setup.

Spin polarization and production rate studies of surface muons in a novel solenoid capture system based on CSNS

A novel surface muon capture system with a large acceptance was proposed based on the China spallation neutron source(CSNS).This system was designed using a superconducting solenoid where a long graphite target was put inside it.Firstly,the spin polarization evolution was studied in a constant uniform magnetic field.As the magnetic field can interact with the spin of the surface muon,both the spin polarization and production rate of the surface muons collected by the new capture system were calculated by the G4beamline.Simulation results showed that the surface muons could still keep a high spin polarization([90%)with different magnetic fields(0–10 T),and the larger magnetic field is,the more surface muons can be captured.Finally,the proton phase space,Courant–Snyder parameters,and intensities of surface muons of different beam fractions were given with magnetic fields of 0 and 5T.The solenoid capture system can focus proton and surface muon beams and collect p?and l?particles.It can also provide an intense energetic positron source.

Conceptual design and update of the 128-channel μSR prototype spectrometer based on musrSim

An experimental muon source(EMuS) will be built at the China Spallation Neutron Source(CSNS). In phase I of CSNS, it has been decided that EMuS will provide a proton beam of 5 kW and 1.6 GeV to generate muon beams. A 128-channel muon spin rotation/relaxation/resonance(μSR) spectrometer is proposed as a prototype surface muon spectrometer in a sub-branch of EMuS. The prototype spectrometer includes a detection system, sample environment, and supporting mechanics. The current design has two rings located at the forward and backward directions of the muon spin with 64 detectors per ring. The simulation shows that the highest asymmetry of approximately 0.28 is achieved by utilizing two 10-mm-thick brass degraders. To obtain the optimal asymmetry, the two-ring structure is updated to a four-ring structure with 32 segments in each ring. An asymmetry of 0.42 is obtained through the simulation, which is higher than that of all the current μSR spectrometers in the world.

Coincidence Doppler Broadening Study of Elemental Metals

Twenty pure elemental metal samples have been studied with a coincidence Doppler broadening system （CDB）. The results show the relationship between the CDB spectra and the electronic structure of these samples. The experimental results are compared to simple theoretical predictions, which show that the high-momentum part of the Doppler-broadening spectra can be used to distinguish different elements.

Micro-structure of PECVD Diamond Films by Slow Positron Beam

The microstructure of diamond films was studied by slow positron beam and Raman spectroscopy. For the Raman spectroscopy experiment on diamond films, a high fraction of the sp3 hybridized bond was detected in samples. Positron annihilation spectra analysis further illuminated that the concentration and types of defects were different in each sample. S-E curves of all samples showed that diamond crystal structures had obvious variation in each sample. These results indicated that positron annihilation spectroscopy was an effective means to measure microstructure of diamond films.