THERMODYNAMIC FUNCTIONS OF FORMATION OF LITHIUM TITANATES

By the method of electromotive forces measuring concentration chains: Pt│Li2O│ ZrO2+10 wt% Y2O3, lithium glass. (Li2O)x(TiO2)1-x│Pt in the temperature range T=1000–1200K and concentrations 0.35÷0.95 mol fraction TiO2, the thermodynamic functions of the formation of the compounds Li4TiO4, Li2TiO3, Li4Ti5O12 and phases based on Li2TiO3:Li1.92Ti1.04O3.04, Li2.12Ti0.94O2.92 were determined. With the exception of the compound Li2TiO3, the thermodynamic functions of the formation of lithium titanates are deter¬mined for the first time. The thermodynamic functions of formation are calculated for the 1200 K and for the standard state at 298 K. The thermodynamic functions of the formation of lithium titanates are determined from simple substances and from binary compounds Li2O and TiO2. In particular, for the free energy, enthalpy of formation and standard entropy we obtained: ∆G_298^0(Li4TiO4)=–2149 kJ∙mol-1; ∆G_298^0(Li2TiO3)=–1565; ∆G_298^0(Li4Ti5O12)=–5923; ∆H_298^0(Li4TiO4)=–2286 kJ∙mol-1; ∆H_298^0(Li2TiO3)=–1662; ∆H_298^0(Li4Ti5O12)=–6287; S_298^0(Li4TiO4)=119.1 J∙mol-1∙K-1; S_298^0(Li2TiO3)=84; S_298^0(Li4Ti5O12)=315.7

Design and Optimisation of a Three Layers Thermal Neutron, Fast Neutron and Gamma-Ray Imaging System

The design and configuration of a multi-layered imaging system with the ability to detect thermal neutrons, fast neutrons and gamma rays has been developed and its efficacy demonstrated. The work presented here numerically determines the systems efficiency and spatial resolution, using 252Cf and 137Cs as a case study. The novelty of this detection system lies in the use of small form factor detectors in a three-layer design, which utilises neutron elastic scattering and Compton scattering simultaneously. The current configuration consists of 10 mm thick natural lithium glass (GS10) scintillator integrated with a 20 mm thick plastic scintillator (EJ-204) in the first layer, a 15 mm thick lithium glass (GS10) scintillator in the second and a 30 mm thick CsI(Tl) scintillator forming the final layer. Each of these layers is backed with an 8 x 8 silicon photomultiplier diode (SiPM) array. The overall size of the imaging system is 27 mm x 27 mm x 135 mm. MCNPv6.1 and Geant4-10.04 were alternatively used to optimise the overall configuration and to investigate detection modalities. Results show promising performance with high precision source localisation and characterization abilities. Measurements were virtually obtained of two gamma-ray sources within steel enclosures at angles of 15°, 30° and 50° separation in order to test spatial resolution ability of the system. With the current active size of the system and the 8x8 SiPM configuration, the results estimate the spatial resolution to be close to 30°. The ability of the system to characterise and identify sources based on the type and energy of the radiation emitted, has been investigated and results show that for all radiation types the system can identify the source energy within the energy range of typical reported sources in literature.

Prompt Fission Neutron Spectra for Neutron-Induced Fission of 239Pu and 235U

We report the current results of a large effort to accurately measure the Prompt Fission Neutron Spectra (PFNS) for neutron-induced fission of 235U and 239Pu for incident neutrons with energies from 1 to 20 MeV. The Chi-Nu experiment at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center used an unmoderated, white spectrum of neutrons to induce fission in actinide samples that were placed inside a parallel plate avalanche counter to provide a fast fission signal. A double time-of-flight technique was used to determine the incoming and outgoing neutron energies. Two neutron detector arrays, one with 54 liquid scintillators and another with 22 lithium glass detectors, were used to detect the outgoing neutrons and measure the PFNS distributions over a wide range in outgoing neutron energy, from below 100 keV to 10 MeV. Extensive Monte Carlo modeling was used to understand the experiment response and extract the PFNS. Systematic errors and uncertainties in the method have been examined and quantified. A summary of these results for incoming energies from 1 to 5 MeV is presented here.