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Measurement of the neutron capture cross-section of 238U using the neutron activation technique

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Abstract

The 238U(n, γ)239U reaction cross-section at average neutron energy of 3.7 ± 0.3 MeV from the 7Li(p, n)7Be reaction has been determined using activation and off-line γ-ray spectrometric technique. The 238U(n, γ)239U and 238U(n, 2n)237U reaction cross-sections at average neutron energy of 9.85 ± 0.38 MeV from the same 7Li(p, n)7Be reaction have been also determined using the above technique. The experimentally determined 238U(n, γ)239U and 238U(n, 2n)237U reaction cross-sections were compared with the evaluated data of ENDF/B-VII, JENDL-4.0, JEFF-3.1 and CENDL-3.1. The experimental values were found to be in general agreement with the evaluated value based on ENDF/B-VII, and JENDL-4.0 but not with the JEFF-3.1 and CENDL-3.1. The present data along with literature data in a wide range of neutron energies were interpreted in terms of competition between different reaction channels including fission. The 238U(n, γ)239U and 238U(n, 2n)237U reaction cross-sections were also calculated theoretically using the TALYS 1.2 computer code and were also found to be in agreement experimental data.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to the staff of TIFR-BARC Pelletron facility for their kind co-operation and help to provide the proton beam to carry out the experiment. We are also thankful to Mr. Ajit Mahadkar and Mrs. Dipa Thapa from target laboratory of Pelletron facility at TIFR, Mumbai for providing us the Li and Ta targets. The authors Mr. V. K. Mulik and S. Dhole gratefully acknowledge DAE-BRNS, Mumbai for the financial support given to the Pune University through a BARC-Uni-Pune research project. (No. 2008/36/27-BRNS/1844).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Radiochemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400 085, India

    H. Naik & A. Goswami

  2. Nuclear Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400 085, India

    S. V. Surayanarayana, S. C. Sharma & P. V. Bhagwat

  3. Department of Physics, University of Pune, Pune, 411 007, India

    V. K. Mulik, S. D. Dhole & V. N. Bhoraskar

  4. Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, The M. S. University of Baroda, Vadodara, 390 002, India

    P. M. Prajapati

  5. Department of Statistics, Manipal University, Manipal, 576 104, India

    B. S. Shivashankar

  6. Radiopharmaceutical Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400 085, India

    K. C. Jagadeesan & S. V. Thakare

  7. Reactor Physics Design Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400 085, India

    D. Raj & S. Ganesan

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  1. H. Naik
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  2. S. V. Surayanarayana
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Correspondence to H. Naik.

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Naik, H., Surayanarayana, S.V., Mulik, V.K. et al. Measurement of the neutron capture cross-section of 238U using the neutron activation technique. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 293, 469–478 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-012-1815-x

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