Designation: E266 − 11

Standard Test Method for

Measuring Fast-Neutron Reaction Rates by Radioactivation
of Aluminum1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E266; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope E1018 Guide for Application of ASTM Evaluated Cross

1.1 This test method covers procedures measuring reaction Section Data File, Matrix E706 (IIB)
rates by the activation reaction 27Al(n,α)24 Na.
3. Terminology
1.2 This activation reaction is useful for measuring neutrons
3.1 Definitions:
with energies above approximately 6.5 MeV and for irradiation
3.1.1 Refer to Terminology E170.
times up to about 2 days (for longer irradiations, see Practice
E261). 4. Summary of Test Method
1.3 With suitable techniques, fission-neutron fluence rates 4.1 High-purity aluminum is irradiated in a neutron field,
above 106 cm−2·s−1 can be determined. thereby producing radioactive 24Na from the 27Al(n,α)24Na
1.4 Detailed procedures for other fast neutron detectors are activation reaction.
referenced in Practice E261. 4.2 The gamma rays emitted by the radioactive decay of
24
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the Na are counted (see Test Methods E181) and the reaction
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the rate, as defined by Practice E261, is calculated from the decay
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- rate and irradiation conditions.
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- 4.3 The neutron fluence rate above about 6.5 MeV can then
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. be calculated from the spectral-weighted neutron activation
2. Referenced Documents cross section as defined by Practice E261.
2.1 ASTM Standards:2 5. Significance and Use
E170 Terminology Relating to Radiation Measurements and
5.1 Refer to Guide E844 for the selection, irradiation, and
Dosimetry
quality control of neutron dosimeters.
E181 Test Methods for Detector Calibration and Analysis of
Radionuclides 5.2 Refer to Practice E261 for a general discussion of the
E261 Practice for Determining Neutron Fluence, Fluence determination of fast-neutron fluence rate with threshold de-
Rate, and Spectra by Radioactivation Techniques tectors.
E844 Guide for Sensor Set Design and Irradiation for 5.3 Pure aluminum in the form of foil or wire is readily
Reactor Surveillance, E 706 (IIC) available and easily handled. 27Al has an abundance of 100 %
E944 Guide for Application of Neutron Spectrum Adjust- (1)3.
ment Methods in Reactor Surveillance, E 706 (IIA)
5.4 24Na has a half-life of 14.9574 h (2) and emits gamma
E1005 Test Method for Application and Analysis of Radio-
rays with energies of 1.368626 and 2.754007 MeV(2).
metric Monitors for Reactor Vessel Surveillance, E 706
(IIIA) 5.5 Fig. 1 shows a plot of cross section versus neutron
energy for the fast-neutron reaction 27Al(n,α)24Na (3) along
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E10 on Nuclear
with a comparison to the current experimental database (4).
Technology and Applicationsand is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee This figure is for illustrative purposes only to indicate the range
E10.05 on Nuclear Radiation Metrology. of response of the 27Al(n,α) reaction. Refer to Guide E1018 for
Current edition approved June 1, 2011. Published June 2011. Originally descriptions of recommended tabulated dosimetry cross sec-
approved in 1965. Last previous edition approved in 2007 as E266 – 07. DOI:
10.1520/E0266-11. tions.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at [email protected]. For Annual Book of ASTM
3
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to a list of References at the end of
the ASTM website. this standard.

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States

1
 E266 − 11
Section 9, and adjust sample size and irradiation time so that
the 24Na may be accurately counted. A trial irradiation is
recommended.
8.2 Determine a suitable irradiation time (see 8.1).
Since 24Na has a 14.9574 h half-life, the 24Na activity will
approach equilibrium after a day of irradiation.
8.3 Weigh the sample.
8.4 Irradiate the sample for the predetermined time period.
Record the power level and any changes in power during the
irradiation, the time at the beginning and end of the irradiation,
and the relative position of the monitors in the irradiation
facility.
8.5 After irradiation, the sample should be thoroughly
FIG. 1 27 24
Al(n,α) Na Cross Section with EXFOR Experimental Data rinsed in warm water. This will remove any 24Na surface
contamination produced during irradiation.
8.6 Check the sample for activity from cross-contamination
28 27 by other irradiated materials. Clean, if necessary, and reweigh.
5.6 Two competing activities, Al and Mg, are formed in
the reactions 27Al(n,γ) 28Al and 27Al(n,p) 27Mg, respectively, 8.7 Analyze the sample for 24Na content in disintegrations
but these can be eliminated by waiting 2 h before counting. per second using the gamma-ray spectrometer after the 28Al
and 27Mg have decayed (1 to 2 h will usually suffice) or until
6. Apparatus the contaminant activities, if any, have decayed (see Test
Methods E181 and E1005).
6.1 NaI(T1) or High Resolution Gamma-Ray Spectrometer.
Because of its high resolution, the germanium detector is 8.8 Disintegration of 24Na nuclei produces 1.368626-MeV
useful when contaminant activities are present (see Test Meth- and 2.754007-MeV gamma rays with probabilities per decay of
ods E181 and E1005). 0.999935 and 0.99872, respectively(2). When analyzing either
gamma-ray peak, a correction for coincidence summing may
6.2 Precision Balance, able to achieve the required accu-
be required if the sample is placed close to the detector (10 cm
racy.
or less) (see Test Methods E181).
7. Materials 8.9 If any question exists as to the purity of the gamma ray
7.1 The purity of the aluminum is important. No impurities being counted, the sample should be counted periodically to
should be present that produce long-lived gamma-ray-emitting determine if the decay follows the 14.9574-h half-life of
24
radionuclides having gamma-ray energies that interfere with Na(2).
the 24Na determination. Discard aluminum that contains such
9. Calculations
impurities or that contains quantities of 23Na sufficient to
interfere, through thermal-neutron capture, with 24Na determi- 9.1 Calculate the saturation activity As, as follows:
nation. The presence of these impurities should be determined A s 5 A/ @ ~ 1 2 exp2 @ λt i # ! ~ exp2 @ λt w # ! # (1)
by activation analysis since spectrographically pure aluminum
may contain a contaminant not detectable by the emission where:
24
spectrograph. If the 24Na content of the irradiated samples is A = Na disintegrations per second measured by counting,
determined from the emission rate of the 2.754007 MeV
gamma ray, the probability of interference from contaminant λ = decay constant for 24Na = 1.287262 × 10−5 s−1,
gamma rays is much less than if the 1.368626 MeV gamma ray ti = irradiation duration, s, and
is used. tw = elapsed time between the end of irradiation and
counting, s.
7.2 Encapsulating Materials—Brass, stainless steel, copper, NOTE 1—The equation As is valid if the reactor operated at essentially
aluminum, quartz, or vanadium have been used as primary constant power and if corrections for other reactions (for example,
encapsulating materials. The container should be constructed impurities, burnout, etc.) are negligible. Refer to Practice E261 for more
in such a manner that it will not create significant flux generalized treatments.
perturbation and that it may be opened easily, especially if the 9.2 Calculate the reaction rate, Rs, as follows:
capsule is to be opened remotely (see Guide E844). R s 5 A s /N o (2)

8. Procedure where:
8.1 Decide on the size and shape of aluminum sample to be As = saturation activity, and
irradiated. This is influenced by the irradiation space and the No = number of 27Al atoms.
expected production of 24Na. Calculate the expected produc- 9.3 Refer to Practice E261 and Guide E944 for a discussion
tion rate of 24Na from the activation equation described in of fast-neutron fluence rate and fluence.

2
 E266 − 11
10. Report
10.1 Practice E261 describes how data should be reported.
11. Precision and Bias
NOTE 2—Measurement uncertainty is described by a precision and bias
statement in this standard. Another acceptable approach is to use Type A
and B uncertainty components (5,6). This Type A/B uncertainty specifi-
cation is now used in International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
standards and this approach can be expected to play a more prominent role
in future uncertainty analyses.
11.1 General practice indicates that disintegration rates can
be determined with bias of 6 3 % (1S %) and with a precision
of 6 1 % (1S %).
11.2 The energy-dependent uncertainty, expressed as a per-
centage of the baseline cross section, for the 27Al(n,α)24Na
cross section is shown in Fig. 2.(3)
27 24
11.3 Test results have been reported in neutron benchmark FIG. 2 Energy-dependent undertainty (%) for the Al(N,α) Na
fields. Cross Section
11.3.1 In the 252Cf spontaneous fission reference neutron
field, the measured cross section is 1.016 b 6 1.47 % (7) and spectrum integrated cross section uncertainty of 0.287 % (3)
the calculated cross section using the RRDF-2008 cross section and a spectrum characterization uncertainty of 6.951 %. This
is 1.0182 b with a spectrum integrated cross section under- results in a calculated-to-experimental (C/E) ratio of 1.024 6
tainty of 0.336 % (3) and a spectrum characterization uncer- 7.08 %.
tainty of 1.609 %. This results in a calculated-to-experimental
(C/E) ratio of 1.0022 6 2.21 %. 12. Keywords
11.3.2 In the 235U thermal neutron field, the measured cross 12.1 activation; activation reaction; aluminum; cross sec-
section is 0.7007 b 6 1.28 % (7) and the calculated cross tion; dosimetry; fast-neutron monitor; neutron metrology; pres-
section using the RRDF-2008 cross section is 0.7173 b with a sure vessel surveillance; reaction rate

REFERENCES

(1) Nuclear Wallet Cards, compiled by J. K. Tuli, National Nuclear Data IAEA-NDS-206, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna,
Center, April 2005 . Austria, June 2008. On-line database available at URL: http://www-
(2) Update of X-ray and Gamma Ray Decay Data Standards for Detector nds.iaea.org/indg_nexp.html. Data here as present on January 3, 2011.
Calibration and Other Applications: Vol 1: Reommended Decay Data, (5) Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement, International
High Energy Gamma Ray Standards and Anular Correlation Organization for Standardization, 1995, ISBN 92-67-10188-9.
Coefficients, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, report (6) Taylor, B. N., Kuyatt, C. E., Guidelines for Evaluating and Expressing
STI/PUB/1287, 2007. the Uncertainty of NIST Measurement Results, NIST Technical Note
(3) Zolotarev, K. I., Ignatyuk, A. V., Mahokhin, V. N., Pashchenco, A. B., 1297, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersbrug,
“RRDF-98 Russian Reactor Dosimetry File”, report IAEA-NDS-193, MD, 1994.
March 1999. The last full release was in 1998. Updated versions (7) Mannhart, W., Validation of Differential Cross Sections with Integral
referenced here corresponding to the RRDF-2008 library. Data, Report INDC(NDS)-435, pp. 59-64, IAEA, Vienna, September
(4) “EXFOR Formats Description for Users (EXFOR Basics)”, report 2002.

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