Estimation of zirconium in Fe and Ti based alloys through formation of Zr-90m at 14.7 MeV neutrons

Neutrons of 14.7 MeV energy were bombarded on natural zirconium target and cross-section for formation of ^90mZr through the nuclear reactions ⁹⁰Zr(n, n′)^90mZr and ⁹¹Zr(n, 2n)^90mZr was measured. The cross-section value (σ = 470 ± 30 mb) was later on used for estimation of zirconium concentration, varying from a few hundred to a few thousand ppm, in iron and titanium based alloys.

An estimation sensitivity aroung 150 μg, in 1 g of sample weight, was achieved for both iron and titanium matrices which is much higher compared to an earlier reported value for geological samples.