Application of Neutron Activation Techniques for the Measurement of 238U (n, γ) and 238U (n, 2n) Cross Section at Neutron Energies of 13.5 and 17.28 MeV

The (n, γ) and (n, 2n) reaction cross-section of U at average neutron energies of 13.5 and 17.28 MeV from the Li(p, n)Be reaction has been determined using activation and off-line γ–ray spectrometric technique. The experimentally determined U(n, γ)U and U(n, 2n)U reaction cross-sections from present work were compared with the evaluated data of ENDF/BVII.0 and JENDL-4.0, JEFF-3.1/A and CENDL-3.1 (referenced in text). The experimental values were found to be in general agreement with the evaluated values obtained using ENDF/BVII.0, JENDL-4.0 and JEFF-3.1/A but it differs with the values obtained using CENDL-3.1. The present data along with literature data in a wide range of neutron energies were interpreted in terms of competition between U(n, γ), (n, f), (n, nf) and (n, xn) reactions channels. The U(n, γ) and U(n, 2n) reaction cross-sections were also calculated theoretically using the TALYS 1.4 computer code and were found to be in general agreement with the experimental data. KeywordsU (n, γ)U and U(n, 2n)U Reaction Cross-Sections; Li(p, n)Be Reaction; Average Neutron Energy; En = 13.5 and 17.28 MeV; Off-Line γ-Ray Spectrometric Technique; TALYS Calculation