Fluorine Assessment of Igneous Rocks by Neutron Activation Analysis

Abstract

The main goal of the current study was to determine the fluorine in the rock samples coal (SARM-18, SARM-19, and SARM-20), opal glass NBS91 and phosphate rock NBS694 using neutron activation analysis. Neutrons energy of 14 MeV used for irradiation was produced by bombardment of a water-cooled titanium tri-tide target with a beam of deuterons accelerated to a potential of 350 KV to develop a neutron flux (108 n⋅cm-2⋅s-1) on the sample at the neutron generator in the ECN (Netherlands Energy Research Foundation) Petten. This new approach contributes to the existing knowledge of fluorine measurement by the coincidence channels investigation of the positron energy with respect to decay time for each radionuclide element. The present study was designed to determine the fluorine by fast neutron through the reaction of F19 (n, 2n) F18. Interference was treated by irradiating the standard of these elements and reasonable selection of the decay time between the end of irradiation and beginning of counting time. The results of this method indicate that the concentration of fluorine is agreed fairly with literatures.