Design and Manufacture an Elastic Neutron Scattering Spectrometer at the Dalat Nuclear Reactor

The objective of this study is to design an elastic neutron scattering system according to the angle with a sample using thermal neutron beam at the Dalat Nuclear Reactor (DNR). The system is used for research and training in the field of material structure analysis by neutron scattering and diffraction techniques. It is designed on the basis of inheriting the neutron measurement spectrometer systems at the DNR and the scattered neutron measurement systems in the world. The measuring system, which was installed at the horizontal channel 4 of the DNR, consists of 5-helium-3 detectors and a fully electronic system to record the scatter counts and a mechanical system with the possibility of rotating at 15˚-75˚ angles. The constructed system is tested for evaluation of the accuracy, stability and reliability of the mechanical and electronic systems of moving detectors by angles.

Dynamic behaviors of water contained in calcium-silicate-hydrate gel at different temperatures studied by quasi-elastic neutron scattering spectroscopy

The dynamic behaviors of water contained in calcium-silicate-hydrate（C-S-H） gel with different water content values from 10%to 30%（by weight）,are studied by using an empirical diffusion model（EDM） to analyze the experimental data of quasi-elastic neutron scattering（QENS） spectra at measured temperatures ranging from 230 K to 280 K.In the study,the experimental QENS spectra with the whole Q-range are considered.Several important parameters including the bound/immobile water elastic coefficient A,the bound water index BWI,the Lorentzian with a half-width at half-maximum（HWHM） Γ;（Q） and Γ;（Q）,the self-diffusion coefficients D;and D;of water molecules,the average residence times τ;and τ;,and the proton mean squared displacement（MSD）(u;) are obtained.The results show that the QENS spectra can be fitted very well not only for small Q（≤1 A;） but also for large Q.The bound/immobile water fraction in a C-S-H gel sample can be shown by the fitted BWI.The distinction between bound/immobile and mobile water,which includes confined water and ultra-confined water,can be seen by the fitted MSD.All the MSD tend to be the smallest value below 0.25 A;（the MSD of bound/immobile water） as the Q increases to 1.9 A;no matter what the temperature and water content are.Furthermore,by the abrupt changes of the fitted values of D;,τ;,and Γ;（Q）,a crossover temperature at 250 K,namely the liquid-to-crystal-like transition temperature,can be identified for confined water in large gel pores（LGPs） and/or small gel pores（SGPs） contained in the C-S-H gel sample with 30% water content.

Small-angle neutron scattering study on the stability of oxide nanoparticles in long-term thermally aged 9Cr-oxide dispersion strengthened steel

A 9 Cr-oxide dispersion strengthened(ODS)steel was thermally aged at 873 K for up to 5000 h.The size distribution and chemical composition of the dispersed oxide nanoparticles were analyzed by small-angle neutron scattering under a magnetic field.Combined with transmission electron microscopy,Vickers micro-hardness tests and electron backscattered diffraction measurements,all the results showed that the thermal treatment had little or no effect on the size distributions and volume fractions of the oxide nanoparticles in the ferromagnetic matrix,which suggested excellent thermal stability of the 9 Cr-ODS steel.

SMALL ANGLE NEUTRON SCATTERING INVESTIGATION OF Ni_(50)Mo(50)ALLOY AND ITS FRACTAL PROPERTIES

Small angle neutron scattering(SANS) technique has been used to investigate the Ni_(50)Mo_(50) system prepared by mechanical alloying(MA). Significant changes of the scattering intensity have been observed among the samples with different milling time.Interesting fractal-like behavior of the sample system have been found and attempts have been made to determine the fractal dimensions. It is expected that the fractal dimension can be related to the different stages of MA to some extent.

Application of neutron scattering in organic photovoltaic materials

Over last decades,the development of new organic materials has contributed to the rapid increase of high-power conversion efficiency of photovoltaic cells.At this stage,to understand the structure and the dynamic of materials is of significant importance for designing novel low-cost photovoltaic cells with superior performance.Neutron scattering is a powerful tool to provide unique and non-destructive information for the organic photovoltaic materials with particular advantages of addressing different parts of organic system by deuterium or tritium substitution.In addition,by employing several neutron scattering methods together,it is possible to further access the static structure and dynamic relaxation of the materials.With this perspective review,we introduce three neutron scattering techniques,including neutron reflectivity,small angle neutron scattering,grazing incidence small angle neutron scattering and quasi-elastic neutron scattering,and their applications on the organic photovoltaic materials.

Design and implementation of the monochromator shielding for the cold neutron spectrometers XINGZHI and BOYA

An innovative monochromator shielding is designed and implemented for the cold neutron spectrometers XINGZHI and BOYA operated by Renmin University of China at China Advanced Research Reactor.Via Monte Carlo simulations and careful mechanical designs,a shielding configuration has been successfully developed to satisfy safety requirements of below 3μSv/h dose rate at its exterior,meanwhile fulfilling space,floor load and nonmagnetic requirements.Composite materials are utilized to form the sandwich-type shielding walls:the inner layer of boron carbide rubber,the middle layer of steel-encased lead and the outer layer of borated polyethylene.Special-shaped liftable shielding blocks are incorporated to facilitate a continuous adjustment of the neutron energy while preventing radiation leakage.Our work has demonstrated that by utilizing composite shielding materials,along with the sandwich structure and liftable shielding blocks,a compact and lightweight shielding solution can be achieved.This enables the realization of advanced neutron scattering instruments that provide expanded space of measurement,larger energy and momentum coverage,and higher flux on the sample.This shielding represents the first of its kind in neutron scattering instruments in China.Following its successful operation,it has been subsequently employed by other neutron instruments across the country.

Development and prospects of Very Small Angle Neutron Scattering (VSANS) techniques

Very Small Angle Neutron Scattering （VSANS） is an upgrade of the traditional Small Angle Neutron Scattering （SANS） technique which can cover three orders of magnitude of length scale from one nanometer to one micrometer. It is a powerful tool for structure calibration in polymer science, biology, material science and condensed matter physics. Since the first VSANS instrument, Dll in Grenoble, was built in 1972, new collimation techniques, focusing optics （multi-beam converging apertures, material or magnetic lenses, and focusing mirrors） and higher resolution detectors combined with the long flight paths and long incident neutron wavelengths have been developed. In this paper, a detailed review is given of the development, principles and application conditions of various VSANS techniques. Then, beam current gain factors are calculated to evaluate those techniques. A VSANS design for the China Spallation Neutron Source （CSNS） is thereby presented.

How the Aggregates Determine Bound Rubber Models in Silicone Rubber? A Contrast Matching Neutron Scattering Study

The correlation between aggregates and bound rubber structures in silicone rubbers(S(phr)) with various silica fractions(ΦSi) has been investigated by contrast matching small-angle neutron scattering(SANS), swelling kinetics, and low-field nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR).Mixed solvents with deuterated cyclohexane fractions of 4.9% and 53.7% were chosen to match the scattering length densities of the matrix(SMP(phr)) and the filler(SMS(phr)), respectively. All the data consistently suggest that:(i) There is a critical threshold ΦSic between 10 and 30 phr;below ΦSic, the isolated aggregates are dominant, while beyond ΦSic, some rubber fraction is trapped among the agglomerate;(ii) ΦSiindependent thicknesses around 7.5 nm(NMR) and 8.6 nm(SANS) suggest that the bound rubber formation is determined by inherent properties of the components, and the power-law around 4.2 suggests an exponential changed gradient density of the bound rubber;(iii) SMS(80) presents a bicontinuous bound rubber with three characteristic lengths of 41, 100, and 234 nm. The expanded correlation length, a 20 nm smaller aggregate sizes suggest that such existent bicontinuous network in dry samples with less ΦSi is kind of impacted by swelling. With the obtained bound rubber models, the reinforcing mechanism of filled silicone rubber is elucidated.

Vortex lattices in type-II superconductors studied by small-angle neutron scattering

Here we review recent small-angle scattering studies of the vortex lattice in a range of type-II superconductors carried out by our group. Emphasis is placed on providing examples of the kind of information which can be obtained by such measurements, focusing in particular on studies of the vortex lattice structure and form factor in LuNi2B2C, TmNi2B2C, CeCoIn5 and Ba（Fe0.93Co0.07）2As2.

Multiscale structures and phase transitions in metallic glasses：A scattering perspective

Amorphous materials are ubiquitous and widely used in human society, yet their structures are far from being fully understood. Metallic glasses, a new class of amorphous materials, have attracted a great deal of interests due to their exceptional properties. In recent years, our understanding of metallic glasses increases dramatically, thanks to the development of advanced instrumentation, such as in situ x-ray and neutron scattering. In this article, we provide a brief review of recent progress in study of the structure of metallic glasses. In particular, we will emphasize, from the scattering perspective, the multiscale structures of metallic glasses, i.e., short-to-medium range atomic packing, and phase transitions in the supercooled liquid region, e.g., crystallization and liquid-to-liquid phase transition. We will also discuss, based on the understanding of their structures and phase stability, the mechanical and magnetic properties of metallic glasses.

A method of monitoring gas saturation in carbon dioxide injection heavy oil reservoirs by pulsed neutron logging technology

A method is proposed to characterize the fast neutron scattering cross-section ( s f) quantitatively by the combina-tion of inelastic gamma rays and captured gamma rays, so as to realize the gas saturation evaluation of CO_(2)-injected heavy oilreservoirs based on the three-de tector pulsed neutron logging technology. Factors influencing of the evaluation effect of thismethod are analyzed and the effectiveness of this method is verified by a simulation example. By using the Monte Carlo simu-lation method and the physical model of bulk-volume rock, the relationship between s f and CO_(2) saturation is studied, and thesaturation interpretation model is established. The influences of formation temperature and pressure, heavy oil density, bore-hole fluid and reservoir methane content on the evaluation results of CO_(2) saturation are analyzed. The results show that thecharacterization of s f by the combination of secondary gamma information can eliminate the influence of formation lithology,borehole fluid and methane content are the main factors affecting the quantitative monitoring of CO_(2) saturation, and the ef-fects of formation temperature and pressure and heavy oil density are negligible. The simulation example verified the feasibilityof the method for evaluating the CO_(2) saturation of CO_(2)-injected heavy oil reservoirs.

Neutron-based characterization techniques for lithium-ion battery research

During the past decades,Li-ion batteries have been one of the most important energy storage devices.Large-scale energy storage requires Li-ion batteries which possess high energy density,low cost,and high safety.Other than advanced battery materials,in-depth understanding of the intrinsic mechanism correlated with cell reaction is also essential for the development of high-performance Li-ion battery.Advanced characterization techniques,especially neutron-based techniques,have greatly promoted Li-ion battery researches.In this review,the characteristics or capabilities of various neutron-based characterization techniques,including elastic neutron scattering,quasi-elastic neutron scattering,neutron imaging,and inelastic neutron scattering,for the related Li-ion-battery researches are summarized.The design of in-situ/operando environment is also discussed.The comprehensive survey on neutron-based characterizations for mechanism understanding will provide guidance for the further study of high-performance Li-ion batteries.

Hardening of Thermal Photons Through Inverse Compton Scattering in Strong Magnetic Fields

A new spectrum function is obtained by use of the Compton scattering cross section in the laboratory frame derived earlier. This spectrum function, besides some modifications in the coefficients of the resonant term, contains also a non-resonant term which is inversely proportional to the square of the magnetic field. Based on this spectrum function, the hardening of thermal photons through inverse Compton scattering by relativistic electron beams on the surface of a strongly magnetized neutron star is investigated. Two new features are found. First, there is a maximum scattered photon energy for a given resonant scattering, beyond which resonance disappears. This maximum depends on the electron energy and the magnetic field, but is independent of the incident photon energy. Second, beyond each resonant scattering, there is a high-energy tail, resulting from non-resonant scattering. It is also found that all the tails have a common upper limit which is the highest scattered photon energy for the given incident photon and electron energies. These two new features are absent in the Monte Carlo simulations and therefore, may have physical implications for y-ray emissions.

Measurement of yields and angular distributions ofγ-quanta from the interaction of 14.1 MeV neutrons with oxygen,phosphorus,and sulfur

A study of the inelastic scattering of neutrons with an energy of 14.1 MeV on the nuclei of oxygen,phosphorus,and sulfur was performed at the TANGRA facility at JINR(Dubna).The experiment aimed to refine existing data and obtain new data on the yields and angular distributions ofγ-quanta emitted by the studied nuclei due to neutron-induced nuclear reactions using the tagged neutron method.Two types of detector systems were used to registerγ-quanta.Theγ-ray yields were measured using a high-purity germanium(HPGe)detector.The angular distributions ofγ-rays were obtained using a system of 18 scintillation detectors based on bismuth germanite Bi_(4)Ge_(3)O_(12)(BGO)located around the sample.The performed experiments measured the yields of two transitions for the reaction of tagged neutrons with 16O,nine transitions for the reaction with ^(31)P,and nine transitions for the reaction with ^(32)S for the first time.The angular anisotropy of theγ-radiation accompanying the inelastic scattering of neutrons with an energy of 14.1 MeV on ^(31)P nuclei was also measured for the first time.

A large area ^(3)He tube array detector with vacuum operation capacity for the SANS instrument at the CSNS

The small-angle neutron scattering(SANS)instrument,one of the first three instruments of the China Spallation Neutron Source(CSNS),is designed to probe the microscopic and mesoscopic structures of materials in the scale range 1–100 nm.A large-area ^(3)He tube array detector has been constructed and operates at the CSNS SANS instrument since August 2018.It consists of 120 linear position-sensitive detector tubes,each 1 m in length and 8 mm in diameter,and filled with ^(3)He gas at 20 bar to obtain a high detection efficiency.The ^(3)He tubes were divided into ten modules,providing an overall area of 1000 mm×1020 mm with a high count rate capability.Because each tube is installed independently,the detector can be quickly repaired in situ by replacing damaged tubes.To reduce air scattering,the SANS detector must operate in a vacuum environment(0.1 mbar).An all-metal sealing technique was adopted to avoid high-voltage breakdown by ensuring a high-voltage connection and an electronic system working in an atmospheric environment.A position resolution of 7.8±0.1 mm(full width at maximum)is measured along the length of the tubes,with a high detection efficiency of 81±2% at 2A.Operating over the past four years,the detector appears to perform well and with a high stability,which supports the SANS instrument to finish approximately 200 user scientific programs.

NEUTRON DIFFUSE SCATTERING IN LEAD-BASED RELAXOR FERROELECTRICS AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE ULTRA-HIGH PIEZOELECTRICITY

A brief review is presented that summarizes recent neutron diffuse scattering measurements on single crystal PbMg_(1/3)Nb_(2/3)O_(3)(PMN)and PbZn_(1/3)Nb_(2/3)O_(3)(PZN)doped with PbTiO_(3)(PT).Emphasis is placed on results that suggest that the short-range,polar correlations observed in these systems are connected to the anomalous relaxor dielectric properties,and in particular to the large values of the piezoelectric coe±cient d33 near the morphotropic phase boundary.

Physical properties and magnetic structure of a layered antiferromagnet PrPd0.82Bi2

We report the physical properties, crystalline and magnetic structures of singe crystals of a new layered antiferromagnetic(AFM) material PrPd0.82Bi2. The measurements of magnetic properties and heat capacity indicate an AFM phase transition at TN^7K. A large Sommerfeld coefficient of 329.23 m J·mol-1·K-2 is estimated based on the heat capacity data, implying a possible heavy-fermion behavior. The magnetic structure of this compound is investigated by a combined study of neutron powder and single-crystal diffraction. It is found that an A-type AFM structure with magnetic propagation wavevector k =(0 0 0) is formed below TN. The Pr3+ magnetic moment is aligned along the crystallographic c-axis with an ordered moment of 1.694(3) μBat 4K, which is smaller than the effective moment of the free Pr3+ ion of 3.58 μB.PrPd0.82Bi2 can be grown as large as 1 mm×1 cm in area with a layered shape, and is very easy to be cleaved, providing a unique opportunity to study the interplay between magnetism, possible heavy fermions, and superconductivity.

Some experimental schemes to identify quantum spin liquids

Despite the apparent ubiquity and variety of quantum spin liquids in theory,experimental confirmation of spin liquids remains to be a huge challenge.Motivated by the recent surge of evidences for spin liquids in a series of candidate materials,we highlight the experimental schemes,involving the thermal Hall transport and spectrum measurements,that can result in smoking-gun signatures of spin liquids beyond the usual ones.For clarity,we investigate the square lattice spin liquids and theoretically predict the possible phenomena that may emerge in the corresponding spin liquids candidates.The mechanisms for these signatures can be traced back to either the intrinsic characters of spin liquids or the external field-driven behaviors.Our conclusion does not depend on the geometry of lattices and can broadly apply to other relevant spin liquids.

Estimation of TBR on the Gap Between Neighboring Blanket Modules in the DEMO Reactor

When one wants to simply estimate tritium breeding ratio （TBR）, the TBR may be reduced from a ＂local＂ TBR for the breeding zones of a blanket module by multiplying the breeder coverage （= the surface area of effective breeding region / the surface area of the first wall around plasma）. When blanket modules are arranged~ the gap between neighboring modules and the frames of the modules are regarded as nombreeding zones. On the other hand, neutrons scattered in the non-breeding zones can enter breeding zones, contributing to tritium production. This means that the estimation method mentioned above tends to underestimate TBR. In order to assess the scattering effect quantitatively, we carried out a three-dimensional Monte Carlo N-particle transport MCNP-5 calculation. It was found from the calculation that there is little decrease in TBR for gaps less than 4 cm when the blanket thickness is 70 cm. The result indicates that such a wide allowance of the gap will facilitate access of remote handling equipment for the replacement of blanket modules and improve access of diagnostics.

Vibration properties of low-fraction hydrogen in deuterium ices

Inelastic incoherent neutron scattering spectra of D2O high-density amorphous （hda） ice, ice-Ⅷ and ice-Ⅱ mixed with small amount of H2O （（5%） have been measured recently on high-energy transfer spectrometer at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory （UK）. The hydrogen atom on D2O ice lattices has three distinguished vibrational modes, two bending at low frequencies and one stretching at high frequencies, and their frequencies are slightly different for different phases of ice. It was found that the lower one of the bending modes is located at -95 meⅤ for hda-ice, at -95 meⅤ for ice-Ⅷ and at -96 meⅤ for ice-Ⅱ and they are all lower than the value of 104 meⅤ for ice-Ih. It was also measured that the O-D and O-H covalent bond stretching modes of ice-Ⅷ are at -315 and -425 meⅤ, ice-Ⅱ at 307 and -415 meⅤ, hda-ice at 312 and -418 meⅤ, respectively. They are significantly higher than the values of ice-Ih at -299 and -406 meⅤ, respectively.