Millisecond dynamics of colloidal suspension studied by X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy at the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility

X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy(XPCS)has emerged as a powerful tool for probing the nanoscale dynamics of soft condensed matter and strongly correlated materials owing to its high spatial resolution and penetration capabilities.This technique requires high brilliance and beam coherence,which are not directly available at modern synchrotron beamlines in China.To facilitate future XPCS experiments,we modified the optical setup of the newly commissioned BL10U1 USAXS beamline at the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility(SSRF).Subsequently,we performed XPCS measurements on silica suspensions in glycerol,which were opaque owing to their high concentrations.Images were collected using a high frame rate area detector.A comprehensive analysis was performed,yielding correlation functions and several key dynamic parameters.All the results were consistent with the theory of Brownian motion and demonstrated the feasibility of XPCS at SSRF.Finally,by carefully optimizing the setup and analyzing the algorithms,we achieved a time resolution of 2 ms,which enabled the characterization of millisecond dynamics in opaque systems.

Review on synergistic damage effect of irradiation and corrosion on reactor structural alloys

The synergistic damage effect of irradiation and corrosion of reactor structural materials has been a prominent research focus.This paper provides a comprehensive review of the synergistic effects on the third-and fourth-generation fission nuclear energy structural materials used in pressurized water reactors and molten salt reactors.The competitive mechanisms of multiple influencing factors,such as the irradiation dose,corrosion type,and environmental temperature,are summarized in this paper.Conceptual approaches are proposed to alleviate the synergistic damage caused by irradiation and corrosion,thereby promoting in-depth research in the future and solving this key challenge for the structural materials used in reactors.

Corrosion behavior of pure metals(Ni and Ti)and alloys(316H SS and GH3535)in liquid GaInSn

In this study,the interactions between a Ga-based liquid metal,GaInSn,and several metal materials,including pure metals(Ni and Ti)and alloys(316H stainless steel(SS)and GH3535),at 650℃were investigated.The aim was to evaluate the corrosion performance and select a suitable candidate material for use as a molten salt manometer diaphragm in thermal energy storage systems.The results indicated that the alloys(316H SS and GH3535)exhibited less corrosion than pure metals(Ni and Ti)in liquid GaInSn.Ga-rich binary intermetallic compounds were found to form on the surfaces of all the tested metal materials exposed to liquid GaInSn,as a result of the decomposition of liquid GaInSn and its reaction with the constituent elements of the metal materials.The corrosion mechanism for all the tested materials exposed to liquid GaInSn was also investigated and proposed,which may aid in selecting the optimal candidate material when liquid GaInSn is used as the pressure-sensing medium.

Dynamic simulation analysis of molten salt reactor-coupled air-steam combined cycle power generation system

A nonlinear dynamic simulation model based on coordinated control of speed and flow rate for the molten salt reactor and combined cycle systems is proposed here to ensure the coordination and stability between the molten salt reactor and power system.This model considers the impact of thermal properties of fluid variation on accuracy and has been validated with Simulink.This study reveals the capability of the control system to compensate for anomalous situations and maintain shaft stability in the event of perturbations occurring in high-temperature molten salt tank outlet parameters.Meanwhile,the control system’s impact on the system’s dynamic characteristics under molten salt disturbance is also analyzed.The results reveal that after the disturbance occurs,the controlled system benefits from the action of the control,and the overshoot and disturbance amplitude are positively correlated,while the system power and frequency eventually return to the initial values.This simulation model provides a basis for utilizing molten salt reactors for power generation and maintaining grid stability.

Study on the optimal incident proton energy of ^(7)Li(p,n)^(7)Be neutron source for boron neutron capture therapy

Boron neutron capture therapy(BNCT)is recognized as a precise binary targeted radiotherapy technique that effectively eliminates tumors through the^(10)B(n,α)^(7)Li nuclear reaction.Among various neutron sources,accelerator-based sources have emerged as particularly promising for BNCT applications.The^(7)Li(p,n)^(7)Be reaction is highly regarded as a potential neutron source for BNCT,owing to its low threshold energy for the reaction,significant neutron yield,appropriate average neutron energy,and additional benefits.This study utilized Monte Carlo simulations to model the physical interactions within a lithium target subjected to proton bombardment,including neutron moderation by an MgF_(2)moderator and subsequent BNCT dose analysis using a Snyder head phantom.The study focused on calculating the yields of epithermal neutrons for various incident proton energies,finding an optimal energy at 2.7 MeV.Furthermore,the Snyder head phantom was employed in dose simulations to validate the effectiveness of this specific incident energy when utilizing a^(7)Li(p,n)^(7)Be neutron source for BNCT purposes.

The study of intelligent algorithm in particle identification of heavy-ion collisions at low and intermediate energies

Traditional particle identification methods face timeconsuming,experience-dependent,and poor repeatability challenges in heavy-ion collisions at low and intermediate energies.Researchers urgently need solutions to the dilemma of traditional particle identification methods.This study explores the possibility of applying intelligent learning algorithms to the particle identification of heavy-ion collisions at low and intermediate energies.Multiple intelligent algorithms,including XgBoost and TabNet,were selected to test datasets from the neutron ion multi-detector for reaction-oriented dynamics(NIMROD-ISiS)and Geant4 simulation.Tree-based machine learning algorithms and deep learning algorithms e.g.TabNet show excellent performance and generalization ability.Adding additional data features besides energy deposition can improve the algorithm’s performance when the data distribution is nonuniform.Intelligent learning algorithms can be applied to solve the particle identification problem in heavy-ion collisions at low and intermediate energies.

Efficient and selective removal of Pb(Ⅱ) from landfill leachate using L-serine-modified polyethylene/polypropylene nonwoven fabric synthesized via radiation grafting technique

In this study,to efficiently remove Pb(Ⅱ) from aqueous environments,a novel L-serine-modified polyethylene/polypropylene nonwoven fabric sorbent(NWF-serine)was fabricated through the radiation grafting of glycidyl methacrylate and subsequent L-serine modification.The effect of the absorbed dose was investigated in the range of 5–50 kGy.NWF-serine was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,thermogravimetric analysis,and scanning electron microscopy.Batch adsorption tests were conducted to investigate the influences of pH,adsorption time,temperature,initial concentration,and sorbent dosage on the Pb(Ⅱ) adsorption performance of NWF-serine.The results indicated that Pb(Ⅱ) adsorption onto NWF-serine was an endothermic process,following the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm model.The saturated adsorption capacity was 198.1 mg/g.NWF-serine exhibited Pb(Ⅱ) removal rates of 99.8% for aqueous solutions with initial concentrations of 100 mg/L and 82.1% for landfill leachate containing competitive metal ions such as Cd,Cu,Ni,Mn,and Zn.Furthermore,NWF-serine maintained 86% of its Pb(Ⅱ) uptake after five use cycles.The coordination of the carboxyl and amino groups with Pb(Ⅱ) was confirmed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and extended X-ray absorption fine structure analysis.

Intensity correlation properties of x-ray beams split with Laue diffraction

Beam splitting is one of the main approaches to achieving x-ray ghost imaging, and the intensity correlation between diffraction beam and transmission beam will directly affect the imaging quality. In this paper, we investigate the intensity correlation between the split x-ray beams by Laue diffraction of stress-free crystal. The analysis based on the dynamical theory of x-ray diffraction indicates that the spatial resolution of diffraction image and transmission image are reduced due to the position shift of the exit beam. In the experimental setup, a stress-free crystal with a thickness of hundredmicrometers-level is used for beam splitting. The crystal is in a non-dispersive configuration equipped with a double-crystal monochromator to ensure that the dimension of the diffraction beam and transmission beam are consistent. A correlation coefficient of 0.92 is achieved experimentally and the high signal-to-noise ratio of the x-ray ghost imaging is anticipated.Results of this paper demonstrate that the developed beam splitter of Laue crystal has the potential in the efficient data acquisition of x-ray ghost imaging.

Conceptual design of a 714-MHz RFQ for compact proton injectors and development of a new tuning algorithm on its aluminium prototype

Radio frequency quadrupoles(RFQs),which are crucial components of proton injectors,significantly affect the performance of proton accelerator facilities.An RFQ with a high frequency of 714 MHz dedicated to compact proton injectors for medi-cal applications is designed in this study.The RFQ is designed to accelerate proton beams from 50 keV to 4 MeV within a short length of 2 m and can be matched closely with the downstream drift tube linac to capture more particles through a preliminary optimization.To develop an advanced RFQ,challenging techniques,including fabrication and tuning method,must be evaluated and verified using a prototype.An aluminium prototype is derived from the conceptual design of the RFQ and then redesigned to confirm the radio frequency performance,fabrication procedure,and feasibility of the tuning algorithm.Eventually,a new tuning algorithm based on the response matrix and least-squares method is developed,which yields favorable results based on the prototype,i.e.,the errors of the dipole and quadrupole components reduced to a low level after several tuning iterations.Benefiting from the conceptual design and techniques obtained from the prototype,the formal mechanical design of the 2-m RFQ is ready for the next manufacturing step.

Multi-layer phenomena in petawatt laser-driven acceleration of heavy ions

Laser-accelerated high-flux-intensity heavy-ion beams are important for new types of accelerators.A particle-in-cell program(Smilei) is employed to simulate the entire process of Station of Extreme Light(SEL) 100 PW laser-accelerated heavy particles using different nanoscale short targets with a thickness of 100 nm Cr, Fe, Ag, Ta, Au, Pb, Th and U, as well as 200 nm thick Al and Ca. An obvious stratification is observed in the simulation. The layering phenomenon is a hybrid acceleration mechanism reflecting target normal sheath acceleration and radiation pressure acceleration, and this phenomenon is understood from the simulated energy spectrum,ionization and spatial electric field distribution. According to the stratification, it is suggested that high-quality heavy-ion beams could be expected for fusion reactions to synthesize superheavy nuclei. Two plasma clusters in the stratification are observed simultaneously, which suggest new techniques for plasma experiments as well as thinner metal targets in the precision machining process.

Correction to:Assembly-level analysis on temperature coefficient of reactivity in a graphite-moderated fuel salt reactor fueled with low-enriched uranium

Following publication of the original article,the authors observed that both Fig.5 and Fig.4 depict the same image.Figure 5 was inaccurately referenced and displayed.The correct Fig.5 is copied below:The original article has been updated.

Lamellar water induced quantized interlayer spacing of nanochannels walls

The nanoscale confinement is of great important for the industrial applications of molecular sieve,desalination,and also essential in bio-logical transport systems.Massive efforts have been devoted to the influence of restricted spaces on the properties of confined fluids.However,the situation of channel-wall is crucial but attracts less attention and remains unknown.To fundamentally understand the mechanism of channel-walls in nanoconfinement,we investigated the interaction between the counter-force of the liquid and interlamellar spacing of nanochannel walls by considering the effect of both spatial confinement and surface wettability.The results reveal that the nanochannel stables at only a few discrete spacing states when its confinement is within 1.4 nm.The quantized interlayer spacing is attributed to water molecules becoming laminated structures,and the stable states are corresponding to the monolayer,bilayer and trilayer water configurations,respectively.The results can potentially help to understand the characterized interlayers spacing of graphene oxide membrane in water.Our findings are hold great promise in design of ion filtration membrane and artificial water/ion channels.

Textured Asymmetric Membrane Electrode Assemblies of Piezoelectric Phosphorene and Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)MXene Heterostructures for Enhanced Electrochemical Stability and Kinetics in LIBs

Black phosphorus with a superior theoretical capacity(2596 mAh g^(-1))and high conductivity is regarded as one of the powerful candidates for lithium-ion battery(LIB)anode materials,whereas the severe volume expansion and sluggish kinetics still impede its applications in LIBs.By contrast,the exfoliated two-dimensional phosphorene owns negligible volume variation,and its intrinsic piezoelectricity is considered to be beneficial to the Li-ion transfer kinetics,while its positive influence has not been discussed yet.Herein,a phosphorene/MXene heterostructure-textured nanopiezocomposite is proposed with even phosphorene distribution and enhanced piezo-electrochemical coupling as an applicable free-standing asymmetric membrane electrode beyond the skin effect for enhanced Li-ion storage.The experimental and simulation analysis reveals that the embedded phosphorene nanosheets not only provide abundant active sites for Li-ions,but also endow the nanocomposite with favorable piezoelectricity,thus promoting the Li-ion transfer kinetics by generating the piezoelectric field serving as an extra accelerator.By waltzing with the MXene framework,the optimized electrode exhibits enhanced kinetics and stability,achieving stable cycling performances for 1,000 cycles at 2 A g^(-1),and delivering a high reversible capacity of 524 m Ah g^(-1)at-20℃,indicating the positive influence of the structural merits of self-assembled nanopiezocomposites on promoting stability and kinetics.

Development of a three dimension multi-physics code for molten salt fast reactor

Molten Salt Reactor(MSR) was selected as one of the six innovative nuclear reactors by the Generation IV International Forum(GIF).The circulating-fuel in the can-type molten salt fast reactor makes the neutronics and thermo-hydraulics of the reactor strongly coupled and different from that of traditional solid-fuel reactors.In the present paper,a new coupling model is presented that physically describes the inherent relations between the neutron flux,the delayed neutron precursor,the heat transfer and the turbulent flow.Based on the model,integrating nuclear data processing,CAD modeling,structured and unstructured mesh technology,data analysis and visualization application,a three dimension steady state simulation code system(MSR3DS) for the can-type molten salt fast reactor is developed and validated.In order to demonstrate the ability of the code,the three dimension distributions of the velocity,the neutron flux,the delayed neutron precursor and the temperature were obtained for the simplified MOlten Salt Advanced Reactor Transmuter(MOSART) using this code.The results indicate that the MSR3DS code can provide a feasible description of multi-physical coupling phenomena in can-type molten salt fast reactor.Furthermore,the code can well predict the flow effect of fuel salt and the transport effect of the turbulent diffusion.

Simulation study of slow extraction for the Shanghai Advanced Proton Therapy facility

The Shanghai Advanced Proton Therapy facility employs third-integer slow extraction. In order to achieve accurate treatment, high-quality spill is needed. Therefore,parameters that may affect slow extraction should be investigated by simulation. A computer model of the synchrotron operation slow extraction was constructed with MATLAB~. By simulating the motion of the circulating protons, we could quantify the influence of machine and initial beam parameters on properties of the extracted beam, such as ripple, uniformity, stability, on-and off-time of the spill and spill width in the synchrotron.Suitable design parameters including the horizontal tunes,power supply ripple, longitudinal RF cavity voltage, RFKO and the chromaticities were determined.

Tuning control system of a third harmonic superconducting cavity in the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility

Beam lifetime is dominated by Touschek scattering at the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility(SSRF).Touschek loss rate is affected by probability for scattering beyond the RF acceptance and the volume charge density of the bench.In the phaseⅡupgrade of the SSRF,a third harmonic superconducting cavity will be used to enhance the Touschek lifetime by lengthening the bunches.The Touschek lifetime improvement factor is affected by the voltage of a harmonic cavity.To stabilize the cavity voltage,a tuning control system was designed to control it.The design of the tuning control system was based on the SSRF third-generation low-level RF control system.Some hardware and specialized algorithms were redesigned to fit the harmonic cavity control.The design of the tuning control system is complete,and the control system has been tested.The test result shows that the fluctuation of amplitude is<±0.34%within 1.5 h,which satisfies the stability requirement.

Design of wide-range energy material beamline at the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility

We report the design of a wide-range energy material beamline(E-line) with multiple experimental techniques at the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility.The undulators consisted of an elliptically polarizing undulator and in-vacuum undulator that generate the soft and hard X-rays, respectively. The beamline covered a wide energy range from 130 to 18 ke V with both a high photon flux([ 10^(12) phs/s with exit silt 30 lm in soft X-ray and [ 5 9 10^(12) phs/s in hard X-ray within 0.1%BW bandwidth) and promising resolving power(maximum E/DE [ 15,000 in soft X-ray with exit silt 30 lm and [6000 in hard X-ray). Moreover, the beam spots from the soft and hard X-rays were focused to the same sample position with a high overlap ratio, so that the surfaces, interfaces, and bulk properties were characterized in situ by changing the probing depth.

Generation of double pulses at the Shanghai soft X-ray free electron laser facility

In this article, we present the promise of a new method generating double electron pulses in picosecondscale pulse length and tunable interpulse spacing at several picoseconds. This has witnessed an impressive potential of application in pump–probe techniques, two-color X-ray free electron laser, high-gradient witness bunch acceleration in a plasma, etc. Three-dimensional simulations are carried out to analyze the dynamic of the electron beam in a linear accelerator. Comparisons are made between the new method and existing ways.

Gantry optimization of the Shanghai Advanced Proton Therapy facility

A proton therapy system is a large medical device to treat tumors.Its gantry is of large structure and high precision.A new half-gantry was designed in the Shanghai Advanced Proton Therapy(SAPT)project.In this paper,the weight of gantry in design is reduced significantly by size and structure optimizations,to improve its cost-effectiveness,while guaranteeing the functions and precision.The processes of physics optimization,empirical design optimization,topological optimization and size optimization,together with factors of consideration,are described.The gantry weight is reduced by 30%,with the same precision.

Neutronics physics analysis of a large fluoride-salt-cooled solidfuel fast reactor with Th-based fuel

Fast reactors based on thorium fuel have enhanced inherent safety. Fluoride salt performs well as a coolant in high-temperature nuclear systems. In this paper,we present a reference core for a large fluoride-salt-cooled solid-fuel fast reactor(LSFR) using thorium–uranium fuel cycle. Neutronics physics of the LSFR reference core is investigated with 2D and 3D in-core fuel management strategy. The design parameters analyzed include the fuel volume fraction, power density level and continuous removal of fission products with 3D fuel shuffling that obtains better equilibrium core performance than 2D shuffling. A self-sustained core is achieved for all cases,and the core of 60% fuel volume fraction at 50 MW/m^3 power density is of the best breeding performance(average breeding ratio 1.134). The LSFR core based on thorium fuel is advantageous in its high discharge burn-up of 20–30% fissions per initial heavy metal atom, small reactivity swing over the whole lifetime(to simplify the reactivity control system), the negative reactivity temperature coefficient(intrinsically safe for all cases) and accepted cladding peak radiation damage. The LSFR reactor is a good alternative option for the deployment of a self-sustained thorium-based nuclear system.