High-flux neutron irradiation of boron trioxide analyzed with Raman and FTIR spectroscopy

Abstract

Boron oxide nanopowder is widely used in the production of special glasses and nuclear technology. This paper reports on the optical properties and investigates the formation of new bonds on the structure of nanoboron oxide. In this work, high purity boron oxide samples were irradiated using a energy upto 1 MeV fast neutrons with fluences in the range of [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and the neutron flux [Formula: see text] at the room-temperature. Optical properts were determined using Raman spectrum analysis and spectroscopy Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. FTIR and Raman spectrum analysis were used to explain the chemical bonds and functional groups of nanoboron oxide samples before and after neutron irradiation. When the irradation fluence on [Formula: see text] was increased upto [Formula: see text] it resulted in the formation of a new functional groups [Formula: see text]. From the Raman analysis, the [Formula: see text] was observed to start amorphization after neutron irradiation.