A new study provides a characterization of barite-enriched concrete samples at the atomic scale using neutron-based techniques.
The data provides additional guidelines for radioprotection workers to determine the optimal concentration of barite in mixed gamma/neutron radiation environments.
For each sample, the amounts of barium and hydrogen are provided by neutron resonance capture analysis and deep inelastic neutron scattering. The researchers additionally assess a non-negligible contribution to the neutron macroscopic cross section arising from water molecules loosely bound in concrete. This contribution makes the shielding performance of concrete dependent upon the humidity and temperature conditions affecting the installation.
The neutron cross section of barite-enriched concrete for radioprotection shielding in the range 1 meV–1 keV. The European Physical Journal Plus, 25 February 2021.