Measurement and analysis of induced activities in concrete irradiated using high-energy neutrons at KENS Neutron Spallation Source Facility

Precise estimation of induced activities in concrete shields for high-energy accelerator facilities is one of the most important issues that need to be solved, not only for the reduction of exposure for workers, but also for the reduction of radioactive wastes. Irradiation experiments have been performed by using the 500 MeV Neutron Spallation Source Facility in KEK. The large concrete assembly was placed in the direction of 0 degrees to the beamline. Two kinds of samples were placed at several positions in the assembly. The irradiation period was about 1 week and induced activities in the samples were measured until approximately 1.5 y after irradiation. From the comparison between the experiment and the available Monte Carlo calculation code system, good agreement was obtained for 24Na, 47Sc, 47Ca and 54Mn within a factor 2; however, large discrepancies were observed for some other nuclides.     

Active Electrochemical Dissolution of Molybdenum and Application for Room-Temperature Synthesis of Crystallized Luminescent Calcium Molybdate Film

Crystallized luminescent calcium molybdate (CaMoO₄) film has been prepared on a molybdenum substrate in an alkaline solution containing calcium ions by active electrochemical dissolution of molybdenum at room temperature (25°C). The dissolution rate became faster with an increase of pH value. A high concentration of calcium (0.02M) and a high pH value (13) favored the reaction of film formation. The film showed only a single green emission at 536 nm with the excitation of 285 nm at liquid-nitrogen temperature (-196°C), strongly suggesting that it consisted of well-crystallized defect-free crystals.     

Flashover characteristics of vapor-mist dielectrics under lightning impulse and means to increase the flashover voltage

It has been reported that the flashover voltage of gaseous dielectrics may increase greatly when they are mixed with carbon-halide mist. However, the factors which bring about the increase of the flashover voltage still are not clarified fully. Based on the study on the basic flashover characteristics of vapor-mist dielectrics, the authors have suggested the scarcity of initial electrons as the predominant factor. This paper investigates further the effect of UV light irradiation, flashover characteristics under forced supply of initial electrons, and for lightning impulse superimposed on dc voltage. These results have verified that the scarcity of initial electrons is the decisive factor in increasing the lightning impulse flashover voltage of vapor-mist dielectrics. It is clarified also that the scarcity is attributed principally to: (1) the reduction of effective period (lifetime) of initial electrons, and (2) the suppression of photoelectric emission from electrodes.     

Computer- Controlled Automatic titration system and its application to the analysis of fats and oils

An automatic titration system (ATS) controlled by a microcomputer was developed for potentiometric or pH titrations. The titrator is equipped with a piston-type glass buret which is operated by a stepping motor driven by computer-generated pulse. The droplet volume of titrant is 0.00211 ml per pulse which enables very accurate titration. The titration rate is controlled by regulating the intervals of pulses according to the potential changes accompanying the progress of titration. The point giving the maximum pulse interval is detected automatically as the end point. Accordingly, it is not necessary to present the potential or pH value of the end point. Sample beakers are sent in turn with an endless mode. As examples of practical application of ATS, saponification value, amine value, acid value, total chlorine content, and chloride ion content were determined. The ATS makes it possible to contribute not only to the improvement of precision but to the simplification of analytical procedures in fats and oils chemistry.     

Development of a quasi-monoenergetic neutron field using the 7Li(p,n)7Be reaction in the energy range from 250 to 390 MeV at RCNP

A quasi-monoenergetic neutron field using the (7)Li(p,n)(7)Be reaction has been developed at the ring cyclotron facility at the Research Center for Nuclear Physics (RCNP), Osaka University. Neutrons were generated from a 10-mm-thick Li target injected by 250, 350 and 392 MeV protons and neutrons produced at 0 degrees were extracted into the time-of-flight (TOF) room of 100-m length through the concrete collimator of 10 x 12 cm aperture and 150 cm thickness. The neutron energy spectra were measured by a 12.7-cm diam x 12.7-cm long NE213 organic liquid scintillator using the TOF method. The peak neutron fluence was 1.94 x 10(10), 1.07 x 10(10) and 1.50 x 10(10) n sr(-1) per muC of 250, 350 and 392 MeV protons, respectively. The neutron spectra generated from various thick (stopping length) targets of carbon, aluminium, iron and lead, bombarded by 250 and 350 MeV protons, were also measured with the TOF method. Although these measurements were performed to obtain thick target neutron yields, they are also used as a continuous energy neutron field. These neutron fields are very useful for characterising neutron detectors, measuring neutron cross sections, testing irradiation effects for various materials and performing neutron shielding experiments.     

Effects of exogenous mevalonic acid on sterol lipid classes in Larix kaempferi callus

In Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi (Lamb.) Carr.) calli, free sterol (FS), acylsterol (AS) and glycosylsterol, including the acylated type, were found in the proportion of 1.0:0.1:0.8. When the calli were cultured in the presence of 10 mM mevalonic acid (MVA), the content of AS, but not FS and glycosylsterol, was increased remarkably. The major component sterol in each sterol lipid class was usually sitosterol (more than 90%) with campesterol as a minor one. There were no differences on the sterol compositions between the calli cultured with or without MVA. When the calli cultured with 10 mM MVA for 6 weeks were transferred to the control medium without exogenous MVA, AS contents decreased to the level of the control calli. Thus, it was shown that sterol lipids, such as FS and glycosylsterols, with the structural functions was maintained in the constant content and the excess sterol biosynthesized from exogenous MVA was esterified to form AS for storage of sterol components.     

High Proton Conductivity in β-Ba2ScAlO5 Enabled by Octahedral and Intrinsically Oxygen-Deficient Layers

Proton conductors are promising materials for clean energy, but most available materials exhibit sufficient conductivity only when chemically substituted to create oxygen vacancies, which often leads to difficulty in sample preparation and chemical instability. Recently, proton conductors based on hexagonal perovskite-related oxides have been attracting attention as they exhibit high proton conductivity even without the chemical substitutions. However, their conduction mechanism has been elusive so far. Herein, taking three types of oxides with different stacking patterns of oxygen-deficient layers (β-Ba₂ScAlO₅, α-Ba₂Sc_0.83Al_1.17O₅, and BaAl₂O₄) as examples, the roles of close-packed double-octahedral layers and oxygen-deficient layers in proton conduction are shown. It is found that “undoped” β-Ba₂ScAlO₅, which adopts a structure having alternating double-octahedral layer and double-tetrahedral layer with intrinsically oxygen-deficient hexagonal BaO (h') layer, shows high proton conductivity (≈10⁻³ S cm⁻¹ above 300 °C), comparable to representative proton conductors. In contrast, the structurally related oxides α-Ba₂Sc_0.83Al_1.17O₅ and BaAl₂O₄ exhibit lower conductivity. Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations revealed that protons in β-Ba₂ScAlO₅ migrate through the double-octahedral layer, while the h′ layer plays the role of a “proton reservoir” that supplies proton carriers to the proton-conducting double-octahedral layers. The distinct roles of the two layers in proton conduction provide a strategy for developing high-performance proton conductors.