Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

The Development Of Lithium Tetraborate Compounds For Thermal Neutron Detection, John David Auxier Ii

Doctoral Dissertations

Due to the shortage of ³He [helium-3], the goal of this project was to develop replacement materials for slow neutron detection in mixed radiation fields. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) indicated that replacement materials should have an absolute neutron efficiency of 2.5 cps/ng of ²⁵²Cf (Californium-252) and a neutron/gamma discrimination intrinsic efficiency of 1 x 10^-6 [one gamma-ray response in a million counts]. In this work, the use of amorphous lithium tetraborate (Li₂B₄O₇:Ce) is analyzed as a thermal neutron detector. Also discussed is the synthesis of the lithium tetraborate, …