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Determination of boron in in-house graphite reference material by instrumental charged particle activation analysis

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Abstract

Due to high thermal neutron absorption cross-section, boron (B) content is a binding specification for nuclear grade graphite. Reliable analytical methods are essential to determine boron at trace to ultra-trace levels. Analytical Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, India has prepared an in-house graphite reference material (GRM). A Charged particle activation analysis methodology has been developed for quantification of B in graphite matrix. Detection limit for boron using this methodology is 1.4 mg kg−1. This in-house GRM can be used for quantification of B in unknown graphite samples, validating existing analytical methods and for the development of new analytical methods.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Dr. A. K. Tyagi, Associate Director, Chemistry Group and Head, Analytical Chemistry Division, BARC for his support and encouragement. The authors would earnestly like to thank the support received from the cyclotron staff at VECC, Kolkata to carry out the ion beam experiments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Analytical Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre, Bidhannagar, Kolkata, 700064, India

    S. Dasgupta & J. Datta

  2. Analytical Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai, 400085, India

    K. K. Swain

  3. Homi Bhabha National Institute, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai, 400094, India

    K. K. Swain

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  1. S. Dasgupta
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  3. K. K. Swain
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Correspondence to S. Dasgupta.

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Dasgupta, S., Datta, J. & Swain, K.K. Determination of boron in in-house graphite reference material by instrumental charged particle activation analysis. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 328, 33–38 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-021-07655-6

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