Nuclear-excited source of coherent and incoherent radiation with direct nuclear pumping.

Uranium fission fragments, as well as the products of He(n,p)H and B(n,α)Li nuclear reactions were utilized in the nuclear reactor for gas ionization and excitation. However, the Li(n,α)H nuclear reaction was less examined. The use of lithium-6 as a surface source of excitation of the gas medium, due to the long path length of tritium nuclei in the gas, allows to excite large volumes of gas as opposed to using U or B.

Study of the Structural, Morphological, Strength and Shielding Properties of CuBiO Films Obtained by Electrochemical Synthesis.

In this research, the formation processes of CuBiO films were examined using atomic force microscopy, energy dispersive analysis and X-ray diffraction analysis methods. The films were synthesized through electrochemical deposition from sulfuric acid solutions at a potential difference of 3.5 V.

Influence of the Change of Phase Composition of (1 - x)ZrO-xAlO Ceramics on the Resistance to Hydrogen Embrittlement.

The article describes the influence of the change in the phase composition of ceramics on the stability of the crystal structure and retention of thermo-physical parameters during hydrogenation of the surface layer in the proton irradiation process. The selection of irradiation conditions allows modeling the degradation processes of ceramics associated with gas swelling during hydrogenation, as well as revealing the patterns of the effect of phase composition on embrittlement, de-strengthening, and structural degradation resistance. In the course of the conducted studies, dose-dependencies of irradiation-induced structural changes and consecutive accumulation of radiation-induced damage in ceramics as a result of hydrogenation of the damaged near-surface layer were established.

Insight into What Is inside Swift Heavy Ion Latent Tracks in PET Film.

We present here a novel experimental study of changes after contact electrification in the optical transmission spectra of samples of both pristine and irradiated PET film treated with Kr ions of energy of 1.75 MeV and a fluence of 3 × 10 cm. We used a non-standard electrification scheme for injecting electrons into the film by applying negative electrodes to both its surfaces and using the positively charged inner regions of the film itself as the positive electrode.

Effect of 160 MeV Xenon Ion Irradiation on the Tribological Properties and Crystal Structure of 100Cr6 Bearing Steel.

This is the first study ever to show the impact of high-energy 160 MeV xenon ion irradiation on the properties of 100Cr6 bearing steel. The projected range (R) of xenon ions is 8.2 µm.

Study of the Relationship between Changes in the Structural, Optical, and Strength Properties of AlN Ceramics Subjected to Irradiation with Heavy Xe Ions.

The purpose of this study is to comprehensively analyze the influence of different fluences of irradiation with Xe heavy ions on alterations in the structural, optical, and strength properties of AlN ceramics and to establish a connection between structural distortions and alterations in the optical and mechanical properties of the ceramics. X-ray diffraction, UV-Vis and Raman spectroscopy, and indentation and single-compression methods were used as research methods. During the study, it was demonstrated that at low irradiation fluences, the main role in the changes in the properties of the AlN ceramics is played by effects related to changes in their optical properties and a fundamental absorption edge shift, which characterizes changes in the electronic properties of the ceramics (changes in the distribution of electron density).

Study of The Gas-Swelling Mechanisms in Silicon Carbide Ceramics under High-Temperature Irradiation with Helium Ions.

The purpose of this work is to simulate the processes of gaseous swelling in SiC ceramics as well as the associated changes in strength and thermophysical properties under high-temperature irradiation with helium ions. The choices of irradiation conditions (irradiation temperatures of 700 and 1000 K) and irradiation fluences (10-10 ion/cm) are based on the possibilities of modeling the processes of destructive changes in the near-surface layer as a result of the accumulation of gas-filled inclusions during high-dose irradiation. During this study, it was found that an increase in the irradiation temperature of the samples from 700 to 1000 K leads to a decrease in the resistance to gas swelling, since with the temperature increase, the mobility of implanted helium in the near-surface layer grows, which results in an increase in the size of gas-filled bubbles and, as a result, accelerated destruction of the damaged layer.

Breathable Films with Self-Cleaning and Antibacterial Surfaces Based on TiO-Functionalized PET Membranes.

A promising approach that uses the sol-gel method to manufacture new breathable active films with self-cleaning and antibacterial surfaces is based on the PET membranes obtained via ion track technology with a pore density of 10 cm and a pore diameter of about 500 ± 15 nm, coated with a layer of TiO anatase, with a thickness of up to 80 nm. The formation of the photocatalytically active TiO anatase phase was confirmed using Raman analysis. Coating the PET membrane with a layer of TiO increased the hydrophobicity of the system (CA increased from 64.

Study of the Influence of the Irradiation Flux Density on the Formation of a Defect Structure in AlN in the Case of the Effect of Overlapping of the Heavy Ion Motion Trajectories in the Near-Surface Layer.

The aim of this paper is to test the previously stated hypothesis and several experimental facts about the effect of the ion flux or ion beam current under irradiation with heavy ions on the radiation damage formation in the ceramic near-surface layer and their concentration. The hypothesis is that, when considering the possibilities of using ion irradiation (usually with heavy ions) for radiation damage simulation at a given depth, comparable to neutron irradiation, it is necessary to consider the rate factor for the set of atomic displacements and their accumulation. Using the methods of X-ray diffraction analysis, Raman and UV-Vis spectroscopy, alongside photoluminescence, the mechanisms of defect formation in the damaged layer were studied by varying the current of the Xe ion beam with an energy of 230 MeV.

Synthesis and Structural and Strength Properties of xLiZrO-(1-x)MgO Ceramics-Materials for Blankets.

The article considers the effect of doping with magnesium oxide (MgO) on changes in the properties of lithium-containing ceramics based on lithium metazirconate (LiZrO). There is interest in this type of ceramics on account of their prospects for application in tritium production in thermonuclear power engineering, as well as several other applications related to alternative energy sources. During the investigations undertaken, it was found that variation in the MgO dopant concentration above 0.

Study of the Aid Effect of CuO-TiO-NbO on the Dielectric and Structural Properties of Alumina Ceramics.

The aim of this work is to study the structural, dielectric, and mechanical properties of aluminum oxide ceramics with the triple sintering additive 4CuO-TiO-2NbO. With an increase in sintering temperature from 1050 to 1500 °C, the average grain size and the microhardness value at a load of 100 N (HV0.1) increased with increasing density.

Study of the Kinetics of Radiation Damage in CeO Ceramics upon Irradiation with Heavy Ions.

In this work, the effect of irradiation with heavy Kr and Xe ions on the change in the structural and strength properties of CeO microstructural ceramics, which is one of the candidates for inert matrix materials for dispersed nuclear fuel, is considered. Irradiation with heavy Kr and Xe ions was chosen to determine the possibility of simulation of radiation damage comparable to the action of fission fragments, as well as neutron radiation, considering damage accumulation at a given depth of the near-surface layer. During the research, it was found that the main changes in the structural properties with an increase in the irradiation fluence are associated with the crystal lattice deformation distortions and the consequent radiation damage accumulation in the surface layer, and its swelling.

Study of the Sensitivity Limit of Detection of α-Particles by Polymer Film Detectors LR-115 Type 2 Using X-ray Diffraction and UV-Vis Spectroscopic Methods.

This work is devoted to the applicability assessment of optical spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction methods to establish the lower detection limit for the density of latent tracks from α-particles in polymer nuclear-track detectors, in the case of simulation of the formation of radon decay daughter products using Am-241 sources. During the studies, the detection limit for the density of latent tracks-traces of the interaction of α-particles with the molecular structure of film detectors-was established using optical UV spectroscopy (10 track/cm) and X-ray diffraction (10 track/cm). At the same time, analysis of the connection between structural and optical changes in polymer films indicates that a growth in the density of latent tracks above 10-10 results into the formation of an anisotropic change in the electron density associated with distortions in the molecular structure of the polymer.

Study of the Mechanisms of Radiation Softening and Swelling upon Irradiation of TiTaNbV Alloys with He Ions with an Energy of 40 keV.

This paper presents simulation results of the ionization losses of incident He ions with an energy of 40 keV during the passage of incident ions in the near-surface layer of alloys based on TiTaNbV with a variation of alloy components. For comparison, data on the ionization losses of incident He ions in pure niobium, followed by the addition of vanadium, tantalum, and titanium to the alloy in equal stoichiometric proportions, are presented. With the use of indentation methods, the dependences of the change in the strength properties of the near-surface layer of alloys were determined.

Investigation of the Effect of PbO Doping on Telluride Glass Ceramics as a Potential Material for Gamma Radiation Shielding.

The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of PbO doping of multicomponent composite glass-like ceramics based on TeO, WO, BiO, MoO, and SiO, which are one of the promising materials for gamma radiation shielding. According to X-ray diffraction data, it was found that the PbO dopant concentration increase from 0.10 to 0.

Synthesis and Characterization of the Properties of (1-x)SiN-xAlO Ceramics with Variation of the Components.

The aim of this paper is to study the effect of variation in the component ratio of (1-x)SiN-xAlO ceramics on the phase composition, strength and thermal properties of ceramics. To obtain ceramics and their further study, the solid-phase synthesis method combined with thermal annealing of samples at a temperature of 1500 °C typical for the initialization of phase transformation processes was used. The relevance and novelty of this study lies in obtaining new data on the processes of phase transformations with a variation in the composition of ceramics, as well as determining the effect of the phase composition on the resistance of ceramics to external influences.

Enhancement of Luminescence of PET Films after Swift Heavy Ion Irradiation.

The novelty of the study is that the ordering that occurs in a PET film under the action of SHI irradiation manifests itself as an increase in the integral intensity of intrinsic luminescence. The Urbach behaviour of the red shift of the absorption edge is used as a baseline for further analysis of experimental optical transmission spectra of PET films irradiated by swift heavy ions (SHI) previously published by the authors. Negative deviations of the experimental spectra from the Urbach baseline in the visible and UV parts of the spectrum are attributed to enhanced by SHI irradiation intrinsic luminescence.

Evaluation of the Influence of Grain Sizes of Nanostructured WO Ceramics on the Resistance to Radiation-Induced Softening.

The main purpose of this study is to test a hypothesis about the effect of grain size on the resistance to destruction and changes in the strength and mechanical properties of oxide ceramics subjected to irradiation. WO powders were chosen as objects of study, which have a number of unique properties that meet the requirements for their use as a basis for inert matrices of dispersed nuclear fuel. The grain-size variation in WO ceramics was investigated by mechanochemical grinding of powders with different grinding speeds.

Study of Radiation-Induced Damage Processes in CeZrO-YZrO Ceramics Caused by Helium Irradiation.

Composite oxide ceramics CeZrO-YZrO obtained by mechanochemical synthesis were chosen as objects of study. The most dangerous type of radiation defect in structural materials is associated with helium accumulation in the structure of the near-surface layer. This can lead to the destruction and swelling of the material, resulting in a decrease in its strength and thermal characteristics.

Study of Phase Transformations and Hyperfine Interactions in FeO and FeO@Au Nanoparticles.

The paper presents the results of a study of iron oxide nanoparticles obtained by chemical coprecipitation, coated (FeO@Au) and not coated (FeO) with gold, which were subjected to thermal annealing. To characterize the nanoparticles under study, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Mössbauer spectroscopy on Fe nuclei were used, the combination of which made it possible to establish a sequence of phase transformations, changes in morphological and structural characteristics, as well as parameters of hyperfine interactions. During the studies, it was found that thermal annealing of nanoparticles leads to phase transformation processes in the following sequence: nonstoichiometric magnetite (FeO) → maghemite (γ-FeO) → hematite (α-FeO), followed by structural ordering and coarsening of nanoparticles.

Study of the Effect of Two Phases in LiSiO-LiSiO Ceramics on the Strength and Thermophysical Parameters.

The paper studies the effect of LiSiO/LiSiO phase formation in lithium-containing ceramics on the strength and thermophysical characteristics of lithium-containing ceramics, which have great prospects for use as blanket materials for tritium propagation. During the phase composition analysis of the studied ceramics using the X-ray diffraction method, it was found that an increase in the lithium component during synthesis leads to the formation of an additional orthorhombic LiSiO phase, and the main phase in ceramics is the monoclinic LiSiO phase. An analysis of the morphological features of the synthesized ceramics showed that an increase in the LiSiO impurity phase leads to ceramic densification and the formation of impurity grains near grain boundaries and joints.

Study of the Reinforcement Effect in (0.5-x)TeO-0.2WO-0.1BiO-0.1MoO-0.1SiO-xCNDs Glasses Doped with Carbon Nanodiamonds.

The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of carbon nanodiamonds on the reinforcement and hardening of telluride glasses, as well as to establish the dependence of the strengthening properties and optical characteristics of glasses on CND concentration. According to X-ray diffraction data, the synthesized glasses have an amorphous structure despite the addition of CNDs, and at high concentrations of CNDs, reflections characteristic of small crystalline particles of carbon nanodiamonds are observed. An analysis of the strength properties of glasses depending on the concentration of the CND dopant showed that an increase in the CND concentration to 0.

Study of Radiation Resistance of WO Microparticles under Irradiation with Heavy Kr and Xe Ions.

In this work, we consider the effect of irradiation with heavy Kr and Xe ions on the change in the structural and strength properties of WO microparticles, which are among the candidates for inert matrix materials. Irradiation with heavy Kr and Xe ions was chosen to determine the possibility of simulation of radiation damage comparable to the impact of fission fragments. During the studies, it was found that the main changes in the structural properties with an increase in the irradiation fluence are associated with the crystal lattice deformation and its anisotropic distortion, which is most pronounced during irradiation with heavy Kr ions.

Investigation of the Efficiency of Shielding Gamma and Electron Radiation Using Glasses Based on TeO-WO-BiO-MoO-SiO to Protect Electronic Circuits from the Negative Effects of Ionizing Radiation.

This article considers the effect of MoO and SiO additives in telluride glasses on the shielding characteristics and protection of electronic microcircuits operating under conditions of increased radiation background or cosmic radiation. MoO and SiO dopants were chosen because their properties, including their insulating characteristics, make it possible to avoid breakdown processes caused by radiation damage. The relevance of the study consists in the proposed method of using protective glasses to protect the most important components of electronic circuits from the negative effects of ionizing radiation, which can cause failures or lead to destabilization of the electronics.