Rapid determination of molar ratios in binary systems by 14 mev neutron activation analysis

Abstract

The 14 MeV neutron activation analysis method was applied for the rapid and non-destructive determination of the molar ratios of iron(III) oxide and zinc oxide in zinc ferrites. Iron was detected as⁵⁶Mn produced from⁵⁶Fe by the (n, p) reaction, and zinc as the sum of the coincidence counts of the annihilation radiations of the positrons emitted from⁶³Zn and⁶⁴Cu produced from⁶⁴Zn by the (n, 2n) and (n, p) reactions respectively. The ratios of the counts of⁵⁶Mn and the sum of the coincidence counts were not linearly related to the molar ratios of iron(III) oxide and zinc oxide in zinc ferrites. However, by corrections of the mutual contributions to the counts, linear relations were obtained between the ratios of the counts and the molar ratios when the corrected sum of the coincidence counts was used as an internal standard. The experimental and theoretical slopes of the analytical lines agreed within a difference of approximately 10%. The deviations between the results of the activation analysis and those of the chemical analysis were less than 5% of the chemical results.