Possibilities and analytical aspects of the PIGE method for the study of B4C

Boron Isotopic Ratio (δ11B) Measurements in Boron Carbide (B4C): Benchmarking Between SF-ICP-MS and PIGE Techniques

“…For many years now the nuclear physics methods have been used for the analysis of elemental and isotopic composition of substances, as well as for studies of spatial distribution of matrix and impurity elements, including the depth distribution gradients, i.e., the concentration profiles [14].…”

“…In the process, as the experimental data demonstrate, the 429 keV radiation appears much more intense. For the 11 B isotope analysis, it is advantageous to use 4439 keV gamma-quanta, because the registration efficiency of 11680 keV and 16110 keV quanta is appreciably lower. In the proton energy range up to 600 keV, the contribution of 4439 keV gamma-quanta to the peak is mainly due to the resonance at a proton energy of 163 keV, and hence, the radiation intensity in this energy range remains essentially the same.…”

“…Due to a relatively large mass difference (10 %) between the two isotopes and high volatility, the boron isotopic ratio ranges from − 70 to + 60 % in natural materials (rocks, natural waters and sediments), and is used as a tracer for studying continental weathering, plate subduction processes, pH variability in the oceans and anthropogenic pollution [1]. Boron isotopic ratios are conventionally expressed in delta notation ( 11 B  ), which denotes the deviation of measured 11 10 B B ratios from the standard (in parts per thousand), using the equation below [2]: , where 11 is the abundance ratio from the accepted international reference material NIST SRM 951 (boric acid).…”

“…H BO ) is added to the primary cooling water to adjust the reactivity of the reactor core [3]. The boron isotopic ratio is one of the most important parameters that qualifies the applicability of 4 B C in the nuclear reactor, considering due to the fact that the isotope 10 B has a significantly higher thermal neutron absorption cross-section compared to 11 B , namely 3840 barn vs. about 0.005 barn [4].…”

“…In the boron analysis case, the MC-ICP-MS multicollector systems can provide measurement uncertainty ± 0.2 %. For double focusing sector field mass-spectrometers SF-ICP-MS, the typical value of uncertainty is ± 2 %, and for quadrupole-based mass-spectrometers Q-ICP-MS it makes 11 B  ± 15 % [5][6][7][8]. Furthermore, for isotopic analysis, nuclear physics methods are also used, which involve the Rutherford ion backscattering spectrometry, and also, the nuclear reactions excited by charged particles and neutrons on different isotopes of one and the same chemical element [9][10][11].…”