Measurement of thermal neutron and resonance integral cross sections of the reaction 51V(n,γ)52V using a 20 Ci Am-Be isotopic neutron source

Abstract

The thermal neutron capture cross section (σo) and the resonance integral (Io) of the 51V(n,γ) 52V reaction were measured with an activation method to provide fundamental data for reactor calculation, activation analysis, and other theoretical and experimental uses concerning the interaction of neutron with matter. The vanadium and manganese samples were irradiated within and without a Cd shield case using a 20 Ci Am-Be neutron source. The activities of the samples were measured using gamma-ray spectroscopy. The thermal neutron capture cross section and the resonance integral were determined relative to the reference reaction 55Mn(n,γ)56Mn and the values obtained are 5.16 ± 0.19 barns and 2.53 ± 0.1 barns respectively. The previous measurements of the σo and Io of the reaction 51V(n,γ)52V were reviewed and the difference between the present values and the previous results were discussed. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.