Non-Destructive Evaluation of Materials with Cold Neutron Beams,
Abstract
A study is presented on the possibilities of using cold neutrons for non-destructive evaluation (NDE). There are shown to be two sectors where cold neutrons can be effectively employed: (1) cold neutron radiography (CNR); and (2) small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). CNR is an established method of radiography with low energy, long wavelength neutrons, enabling greatly improved contrast and resolution over normal radiographic methods. This improvement will be especially important for hydrogenous materials, for example, contained within thick steel sections (e.g., one mm of plexiglas imbedded between two 7 cm section of steel plates). The main limitations to the use of CNR are portability and expense of the cold neutron source. SANS is actually a scattering method for detecting heterogeneities (10-10,000 A) imbedded within a matrix of different neutron scattering power. SANS has been employed by workers in Italy over a remarkable range of applicability, from predicting failure in nickel-base superalloy turbine blades to a study of debonding of fibers in carbon-carbon fiber composites. Again, as with CNR, applied SANS suffers from the need of a high flux of cold neutrons. The possibilities and limitations of SANS for NDE, with special reference to Naval needs, are examined.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1977
- Accession Number
- ADA053073
Entities
People
- Herbert Herman
Organizations
- Stony Brook University