Application of thin boron deposit by electrophoresis as neutron detectors

Mohamed Fares; Mohammed Messaoudi; Mohamed Yacine Debili; Kassida Negara

doi:10.1515/ract-2023-0226

Article

Application of thin boron deposit by electrophoresis as neutron detectors

Mohamed Fares , Mohammed Messaoudi , Mohamed Yacine Debili and Kassida Negara

Published/Copyright: February 13, 2024

Published by

Become an author with De Gruyter Brill

Submit Manuscript Author Information Explore this Subject

From the journal Radiochimica Acta Volume 112 Issue 4

Abstract

Detecting nuclear radiation presents a distinctive challenge, particularly with neutrons, which are neutral particles. The method of direct detection involves the utilization of a converter material, acting as an intermediary. Boron plays a pivotal role in this process, reacting with thermal neutrons to generate alpha particles and lithium, with a notable energy release of 2.314 MeV during the ¹⁰B (n,α) ⁷Li reaction. This facilitates effective identification and measurement of neutrons in radiation detection systems. The paths of the particles α (for E = 1.474 MeV) and Li (for E_Li = 0.842 MeV). The active medium of the nuclear detector, typically a gas, undergoes ionization by these highly charged particles, or they form ion pairs that are subsequently collected by electrodes to produce the signal at the detector’s output. Various deposit methods can be used for this purpose, electrophoresis offers a distinct advantage in terms of both simplicity and precision. This study details the utilization of the electrophoresis technique for the deposition of boron on the tube walls of prototype detectors developed within our laboratory.

Keywords: electrophoresis; boron; deposition; alpha; lithium; cathode

Corresponding authors: Mohamed Fares, Nuclear Instrumentation and Detection Department, Nuclear Research Centre of Birine, P.O. Box, Ain Oussera 17200, Djelfa, Algeria, E-mail: m.fares@crnb.dz; and Mohammed Messaoudi, Nuclear Research Centre of Birine, P.O. Box 180, Ain Oussera 17200, Djelfa, Algeria, E-mail: messaoudi2006@yahoo.fr

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank all the engineers and technicians of the Detection and Instrumentation Department, in particular the Director of CRNB and the staff of the DEDIN Division, who greatly facilitated the experimental campaign.

Research ethics: Not applicable.
Author contributions: MF, MM, MYD and KN: contributed to designing, interpretation of data and drafting the manuscript. MF and KN: experiments and revising the manuscript. MM, MYD: data collection, MF and MM: statistical analysis. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Competing interests: All authors declare no conflict of interest.
Research funding: None declared.
Data availability: Not applicable.

References

1. Pourcelot, G. Characterization of Boron Coating in Ionization Chambers. In Degree Project In Engineering Physics, Second Cycle, 30 Credits; Stockholm, Sweden, 2019. https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1307790/FULLTEXT01.pdf.Search in Google Scholar

2. Göncü, Y., Geçgin, M., Bakan, F., Ay, N. Electrophoretic Deposition of Hydroxyapatite-Hexagonal Boron Nitride Composite Coatings on Ti Substrate. Mater. Sci. Eng. C 2017, 79, 343–353; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2017.05.023.Search in Google Scholar PubMed

3. Fares, M., Debili, M. Y., Messaoudi, M., Begaa, S., Negara, K., Messai, A. Boron-10 Lined Proportional Counter Development for Thermal Neutron Detection. Radiat. Detect. Technol. Methods 2021, 5, 110–116; https://doi.org/10.1007/s41605-020-00226-5.Search in Google Scholar

4. Fares, M., Messai, A., Begaa, S., Messaoudi, M., Negara, K., Debili, M. Y. Design and Study of the Characteristics of a Versatile Ionization Chamber for Gamma-Ray Dosimetry. J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem 2020, 326(11), 1405–1411; https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07446-5.Search in Google Scholar

5. Lang, F. M. Electrophoretic Deposits of Boron on Duralumin Plates Used for Measuring Neutron Flux; CEA Saclay: France, 1956; pp. 2–8. https://inis.iaea.org/collection/NCLCollectionStore/_Public/38/036/38036113.pdf.Search in Google Scholar

6. Mehla, S., Das, J., Jampaiah, D., Periasamy, S., Nafady, A., Bhargava, S. K. Recent Advances in Preparation Methods for Catalytic Thin Films and Coatings. Catal. Sci. Technol. 2019, 9 (14), 3582–3602; https://doi.org/10.1039/c9cy00518h.Search in Google Scholar

7. Lokhande, B. J., Patil, P. S., Uplane, M. D. Studies on Structural, Optical and Electrical Properties of Boron Doped Zinc Oxide Films Prepared by Spray Pyrolysis Technique. Phys. B: Condens. Matter 2001, 302, 59–63; https://doi.org/10.1016/s0921-4526(01)00405-7.Search in Google Scholar

8. Entwistle, C. D., Marder, T. B. Optical Properties of Molecular and Polymeric Systems. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2002, 41 (16), 2927–2931; https://doi.org/10.1002/1521-3773(20020816)41:16<2927::aid-anie2927>3.0.co;2-l.10.1002/1521-3773(20020816)41:16<2927::AID-ANIE2927>3.0.CO;2-LSearch in Google Scholar

9. Safford, G. J. Improved Technique for the Evaporation of Boron. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 1956, 27(11), 972–973; https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1715434.Search in Google Scholar

10. Adams, A. C., Capio, C. D. The Chemical Deposition of Boron–Nitrogen Films. J. Electrochem. Soc. 1980, 127 (2), 399; https://doi.org/10.1149/1.2129678.Search in Google Scholar

11. Hashizume, A. Method of Boron Evaporation. J. Sci. Res. Inst. 1957, 51.Search in Google Scholar

12. Fares, M., Messaoudi, M., Negara, K., Debili, M. Y. Structural, Thermal and Optical Properties of Nickel Nanomaterial Synthesized by the Open-Air Heat Treatment Method. J. Cryst. Growth 2023, 623, 127406; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2023.127406.Search in Google Scholar

13. Dua, A. K., Agarwala, R. P. Their Physics and Applications; Bhabha Atomic Research Centre: Bombay (India), 1970.Search in Google Scholar

14. Keeler, R. A., Klach, S. J. Electrophoretic Processes – Nuclear Aspects. In Final Report for December 1, 1956–June 30, 1959. Vitro Job 2091. Vitro Labs: West Orange, NJ, 1959.10.2172/4172934Search in Google Scholar

15. Koirala, M., Wu, J. W., Weltz, A., Dahal, R., Danon, Y., Bhat, I. Electrophoretic Deposition of 10B Nano/micro Particles in Deep Silicon Trenches for the Fabrication of Solid State Thermal Neutron Detectors. Int. J. High Speed Electron. Syst. 2018, 27 (01n02), 1840002; https://doi.org/10.1142/s0129156418400025.Search in Google Scholar

16. Ananthanarayanan, K. P., Choudry, A. Boron Compounds for Thermal-Neutron Detection. Nucl. Instrum. Methods 1974, 118 (1), 45–48; https://doi.org/10.1016/0029-554x(74)90683-1.Search in Google Scholar

17. Majety, S., Li, J., Cao, X. K., Dahal, R., Lin, J. Y., Jiang, H. X. Metal-Semiconductor-Metal Neutron Detectors Based on Hexagonal Boron Nitride Epitaxial Layers. In Hard X-Ray, Gamma-Ray, and Neutron Detector Physics XIV, SPIE, 2012; pp. 91–99.10.1117/12.940748Search in Google Scholar

18. Agrawal, P. C., Ramsey, B. D. Use of Propane as a Quench Gas in Argon-Filled Proportional Counters and Comparison with Other Quench Gases. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res., Sect. A 1988, 273 (1), 331–337; https://doi.org/10.1016/0168-9002(88)90833-9.Search in Google Scholar

Received: 2023-09-04

Accepted: 2024-01-15

Published Online: 2024-02-13

Published in Print: 2024-04-25

You are currently not able to access this content.

Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/ract-2023-0226

Keywords for this article

electrophoresis; boron; deposition; alpha; lithium; cathode