Total thermal neutron cross section measurements of hydrogen dense polymers from 0.0005–20 eV

D. Fritz; Y. Danon; K. Ramic; C. W. Chapman; J. M. Brown; G. Arbanas; M. Rapp; T. H. Trumbull; M. Zerkle; J. Holmes; P. Brain; A. Ney; S. Singh; K. Cook; B. Wang

doi:10.1016/j.anucene.2022.109651

Total thermal neutron cross section measurements of hydrogen dense polymers from 0.0005–20 eV

D. Fritz, Y. Danon, K. Ramic, C. W. Chapman, J. M. Brown, G. Arbanas, M. Rapp, T. H. Trumbull, M. Zerkle, J. Holmes, P. Brain, A. Ney, S. Singh, K. Cook, B. Wang

Nuclear Data

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Hydrogen dense polymers, specifically polyethylene, polystyrene, and Plexiglas, have served as neutron moderator and reflector materials in hundreds of separate critical benchmark experiments because of their low cost and abundance of hydrogen. In order to accurately model and simulate these critical benchmarks, the thermal scattering law (TSL) evaluation that governs how neutrons will thermalize must be well understood and rigorously validated. To support this validation, researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute performed total neutron cross section measurements for high-density polyethylene & polystyrene over the energy range 0.0005–20 eV and for Plexiglas G & Plexiglas G-UVT over the energy range 0.0005–3 eV. Comparisons were made between the measured cross section and that predicted by the ENDF/B-VIII.0 and Oak Ridge National Laboratory/European Spallation Source/Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute TSL evaluations for polyethylene, Plexiglas, and polystyrene, as available. These experiments represent the first total neutron cross section measurements for polystyrene.

Original language	English
Article number	109651
Journal	Annals of Nuclear Energy
Volume	183
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2022.109651
State	Published - Apr 2023

Funding

The authors would like to thank Oak Ridge National Laboratory for providing the preliminary polystyrene TSL evaluation. In addition, thanks goes out to the RPI LINAC technical staff for their assistance in conducting these measurements. This work was supported by the Nuclear Criticality Safety Program, funded and managed by the National Nuclear Security Administration, USA for the Department of Energy. Additionally, this material is based upon work supported under an Integrated University Program Graduate Fellowship. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of DOE.

Funders	Funder number
U.S. Department of Energy
National Nuclear Security Administration
Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Keywords

Plexiglas
Polyethylene
Polystyrene
Thermal scattering law
Total cross section

Access to Document

10.1016/j.anucene.2022.109651

Cite this

Fritz, D., Danon, Y., Ramic, K., Chapman, C. W., Brown, J. M., Arbanas, G., Rapp, M., Trumbull, T. H., Zerkle, M., Holmes, J., Brain, P., Ney, A., Singh, S., Cook, K., & Wang, B. (2023). Total thermal neutron cross section measurements of hydrogen dense polymers from 0.0005–20 eV. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 183, Article 109651. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2022.109651

@article{c2ebf0183b574b74a7ab38d630d947e1,

title = "Total thermal neutron cross section measurements of hydrogen dense polymers from 0.0005–20 eV",

abstract = "Hydrogen dense polymers, specifically polyethylene, polystyrene, and Plexiglas, have served as neutron moderator and reflector materials in hundreds of separate critical benchmark experiments because of their low cost and abundance of hydrogen. In order to accurately model and simulate these critical benchmarks, the thermal scattering law (TSL) evaluation that governs how neutrons will thermalize must be well understood and rigorously validated. To support this validation, researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute performed total neutron cross section measurements for high-density polyethylene & polystyrene over the energy range 0.0005–20 eV and for Plexiglas G & Plexiglas G-UVT over the energy range 0.0005–3 eV. Comparisons were made between the measured cross section and that predicted by the ENDF/B-VIII.0 and Oak Ridge National Laboratory/European Spallation Source/Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute TSL evaluations for polyethylene, Plexiglas, and polystyrene, as available. These experiments represent the first total neutron cross section measurements for polystyrene.",

keywords = "Plexiglas, Polyethylene, Polystyrene, Thermal scattering law, Total cross section",

author = "D. Fritz and Y. Danon and K. Ramic and Chapman, {C. W.} and Brown, {J. M.} and G. Arbanas and M. Rapp and Trumbull, {T. H.} and M. Zerkle and J. Holmes and P. Brain and A. Ney and S. Singh and K. Cook and B. Wang",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 Elsevier Ltd",

year = "2023",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1016/j.anucene.2022.109651",

language = "English",

volume = "183",

journal = "Annals of Nuclear Energy",

issn = "0306-4549",

publisher = "Elsevier",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Total thermal neutron cross section measurements of hydrogen dense polymers from 0.0005–20 eV

AU - Fritz, D.

AU - Danon, Y.

AU - Ramic, K.

AU - Chapman, C. W.

AU - Brown, J. M.

AU - Arbanas, G.

AU - Rapp, M.

AU - Trumbull, T. H.

AU - Zerkle, M.

AU - Holmes, J.

AU - Brain, P.

AU - Ney, A.

AU - Singh, S.

AU - Cook, K.

AU - Wang, B.

PY - 2023/4

Y1 - 2023/4

N2 - Hydrogen dense polymers, specifically polyethylene, polystyrene, and Plexiglas, have served as neutron moderator and reflector materials in hundreds of separate critical benchmark experiments because of their low cost and abundance of hydrogen. In order to accurately model and simulate these critical benchmarks, the thermal scattering law (TSL) evaluation that governs how neutrons will thermalize must be well understood and rigorously validated. To support this validation, researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute performed total neutron cross section measurements for high-density polyethylene & polystyrene over the energy range 0.0005–20 eV and for Plexiglas G & Plexiglas G-UVT over the energy range 0.0005–3 eV. Comparisons were made between the measured cross section and that predicted by the ENDF/B-VIII.0 and Oak Ridge National Laboratory/European Spallation Source/Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute TSL evaluations for polyethylene, Plexiglas, and polystyrene, as available. These experiments represent the first total neutron cross section measurements for polystyrene.

AB - Hydrogen dense polymers, specifically polyethylene, polystyrene, and Plexiglas, have served as neutron moderator and reflector materials in hundreds of separate critical benchmark experiments because of their low cost and abundance of hydrogen. In order to accurately model and simulate these critical benchmarks, the thermal scattering law (TSL) evaluation that governs how neutrons will thermalize must be well understood and rigorously validated. To support this validation, researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute performed total neutron cross section measurements for high-density polyethylene & polystyrene over the energy range 0.0005–20 eV and for Plexiglas G & Plexiglas G-UVT over the energy range 0.0005–3 eV. Comparisons were made between the measured cross section and that predicted by the ENDF/B-VIII.0 and Oak Ridge National Laboratory/European Spallation Source/Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute TSL evaluations for polyethylene, Plexiglas, and polystyrene, as available. These experiments represent the first total neutron cross section measurements for polystyrene.

KW - Plexiglas

KW - Polyethylene

KW - Polystyrene

KW - Thermal scattering law

KW - Total cross section

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85144601904&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.anucene.2022.109651

DO - 10.1016/j.anucene.2022.109651

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85144601904

SN - 0306-4549

VL - 183

JO - Annals of Nuclear Energy

JF - Annals of Nuclear Energy

M1 - 109651

ER -

Total thermal neutron cross section measurements of hydrogen dense polymers from 0.0005–20 eV

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this