Quantitative analysis of silicates by instrumental epithermal neutron activation using (n,p) reactions

Journal Article · Thu Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1979 · Anal. Chem.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ac50049a058· OSTI ID:5686479

Gladney, E S; Perrin, D R

Instrumental epithermal neutron activation (IENA) involves the use of a neutron filter to screen out the thermal portion of the reactor neutron energy spectrum. Both Cd and B are efficient neutron filters. The principal advantage of epithermal over conventional thermal neutron activation for elemental analysis of geological materials is that the most common rock forming elements, which activate strongly with thermal neutrons (Na, Al, P, K, Fe, and Sc), have their activities suppressed, relative to elements which have cross-sectional resonances in the epithermal energy region. One-gram samples of various silicate standard reference materials were encapsulated in polyethylene vials and irradiated in the Los Alamos Omega West Reactor epithermal facility. Only six elements (F, Si, Na, Fe, Ni, and Ti) were successfully determined in geological matrices via (n,p) reactions. The single standard deviations among the measurements were less than 10% in all cases. The production ratio of (n,p) to (n,..gamma..) and (n,p) to (n,..cap alpha..) interfering reactions are included for silicate materials having Mason's average crustal abundance of elements. Epithermal activation via (n,p) reactions provides an alternative method for the determination of Fe, Al, Na, Ni, and F. The preferred techniques are probably thermal neutron activation for the first three elements, atomic absorption for Ni, and ion selective electrode for F.Titanium and Si can be measured much more sensitively using the (n,p) reaction than by thermal neutron activation. 4 tables.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos Scientific Lab., NM
• OSTI ID: 5686479
• Journal Information: Anal. Chem.; (United States), Journal Name: Anal. Chem.; (United States) Vol. 51:13; ISSN ANCHA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400101* -- Activation
Nuclear Reaction
Radiometric & Radiochemical Procedures
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
ALKALI METALS
ALUMINIUM
BARYONS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
EPITHERMAL NEUTRONS
FERMIONS
FLUORINE
HADRONS
HALOGENS
ION SELECTIVE ELECTRODE ANALYSIS
IRON
METALS
NEUTRONS
NICKEL
NONMETALS
NUCLEONS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
ROCKS
SEMIMETALS
SILICATES
SILICON
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SODIUM
SPECTROSCOPY
THERMAL NEUTRONS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS