• Applied Science and Convergence Technology
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.273-277
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• 2015

We investigated secondary electron emission characteristics of ZnO thin films prepared by pulsed laser deposition method with respect to the ambient oxygen pressure and the substrate temperature during the deposition. X-ray diffraction, UV-Vis spectrometry, atomic force microscopy, and ${\gamma}$-FIB were used to examine the structural, optical transmission, surface morphology, and secondary electron emission properties of the films, respectively. The secondary electron emission coefficient of the ZnO films increases as the O/Zn ratio of the films increases which was thought to result from either the ambient oxygen pressure increase or the substrate temperature decrease and as the grain size of the films decreases. It was confirmed that ZnO has better secondary electron emission characteristics than those of MgO, which is currently widely used as a material for PDP protecting layers.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.1757-1762
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• 2023

Radiological hazards from external exposure of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) scales residues, generated during the extraction process of oil and gas production in southern Algeria, are evaluated. The activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K were measured using high-purity gamma-ray spectrometry (GeHP). Mean activity concentration of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K, found in scale samples are 4082 ± 41, 1060 ± 38 and 568 ± 36 Bq kg^-1, respectively. Radiological hazard parameters, such as radium equivalent (Ra_eq), external and internal hazard indices (H_ex, H_in), and gamma index (I_γ) are also evaluated. All hazard parameter values were greater than the permissible and recommended limits and the average annual effective dose value exceeded the dose constraint (0.3 mSv y^-1). However, for occasionally exposed workers, the dose rate of 0.65 ± 0.02 mSv y^-1 is lower than recommended limit of 1 mSv y^-1 for public.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.577-588
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• 2020

We evaluated the distributions of primordial radionuclides and effective dose rate of the Ogcheon Group, which includes rocks with high uranium content. Terrestrial gamma radiation was measured at 421 points using a portable gamma ray spectrometer. Dividing the study area into five geological units (og1, og2, og3, og4, and igneous rocks) revealed no significant difference in the concentration of surface radioactivity among the types. The concentrations of 40K, eU, and eTh for all samples ranged from 0.7% to 10.3% (average 5.2%), 0.6 to 287.0 ppm (average 8.5 ppm), and 4.0 to 102.4 ppm (average 31.3 ppm), respectively. The absorbed dose rate in the study area (calculated from the activity concentrations of 40K, eU, and eTh) was in the range of 28.84 to 1,714.5 nGy/h (average 195.4 nGy/h). Among the five geological units, the lowest average was 166.3 nGy/h (for og1) and the highest average was 233.3 nGy/h (for og2; median 198.1 nGy/h). The outdoor effective dose rate for the area obtained from the absorbed dose rate was in the range of 0.04 to 2.10 mSv/y (average 0.24 mSv/y). Except for the four sites located in the uranium-bearing coal bed of og2, none of the studied sites exceeded 1 mSv/y.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.157-165
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• 2003

In order to understand the characteristics of sedimentary environments in Ulleung Basin of the East Sea (Sea of Japan), three sediment cores were taken with a box corer during R/V Tamyang cruise in October 1999. Activities of $^{7}Be,{\;}^{210}Pb,{\;}^{226}Ra,{\;}^{234}Th,{\;}^{238}{\;}and{\;}^{137}Cs$ in sediment samples were determined by non-destructive gamma-ray spectrometry. Rates of sedimentation and particle mixing were estimated by best fitting an advection­diffusion particle mixing model to the data of $^{7}Be,{\;}^{234}Th,{\;}and{\;}^{210}Pb$. Estimated sedimentation rates were 0.06-0.08 cm/yr and particle mixing rates were $0.13-0.65{\;}\textrm{cm}^2/yr$. The use of multiple tracers in our study prevented us from probable up to 38% overestimation of sedimentation rates.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.8
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• pp.1752-1757
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• 2017

The aim of this study is to evaluate the radioactivity levels and radiological impacts of representative black sand samples collected from different locations in the Rashid area, Egypt. These samples were prepared and then analyzed using the high-resolution gamma ray spectroscopy technique with a high-purity germanium detector. The activity concentration ($A_c$), minimum detectable activity, absorbed gamma dose rate, external hazard index ($H_{ex}$), annual effective dose rate equivalent, radium equivalent, as well as external and internal hazard index ($H_{ex}$ and $H_{in}$, respectively) were estimated based on the measured radionuclide concentration of the $^{238}U$($^{226}Ra$) and $^{232}Th$ decay chains and $^{40}K$. The activity concentrations of the $^{238}U$, $^{232}Th$ decay series and $^{40}K$ of these samples varied from $45.11{\pm}3.1Bq/kg$ to $252.38{\pm}34.3Bq/kg$, from $64.65{\pm}6.1Bq/kg$ to $579.84{\pm}53.1Bq/kg$, and from $403.36{\pm}20.8Bq/kg$ to $527.47{\pm}23.1Bq/kg$, respectively. The activity concentration of $^{232}Th$ in Sample 1 has the highest value compared to the other samples; this value is also higher than the worldwide mean range as reported by UNSCEAR 2000. The total absorbed gamma dose rate and the annual effective dose for these samples were found to vary from 81.19 nGy/h to 497.81 nGy/h and from $99.86{\mu}Sv/y$ to $612.31{\mu}Sv/y$, which are higher than the world average values of 59 nGy/h and $70{\mu}Sv/y$, respectively. The $H_{ex}$ values were also calculated to be 3.02, 0.47, 0.63, 0.87, 0.87, 0.51 and 0.91. It was found that the calculated value of $H_{ex}$ for Sample 1 is significantly higher than the international acceptable limit of <1. The results are tabulated, depicted, and discussed within national and international frameworks, levels, and approaches.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 2013

The radioactive gas radon ($^{222}Rn$), which is generated from the decay process of uranium ($^{238}U$) originating from the soil of more than 85 percent higher the porosity of the soil, the soil can radiate out the possibility that many isotopes. In order to protect the human body from radon, above all, the development of accurate measurement techniques to formulate appropriate measures should be followed. This study Gamma-ray spectrometry using a high purity germanium (HPGe) detector, if you want to measure radon unstable the nature radiation of the background problems can be reduced, radium and radon daughter nuclides after radioactive equilibrium leads to Radon concentration was measured, the soil samples from the Gamma-ray emitting nuclides, and the energy spectrum is analyzed.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.293-299
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• 2016

$^{137}Cs$ was investigated in river bottom sediments located in South-Han River basin and it was compared with international case studies to estimate the concentration level of $^{137}Cs$ in river sediment of Korea. The obtained values of $^{137}Cs$ which was analyzed by gamma-ray spectrometry were in the range of <$MDA{\sim}3.80{\pm}0.14Bq/kg{\cdot}dry$ and similar to the $^{137}Cs$ activities in soil of Korea. According to international case studies, $^{137}Cs$ activities were between 3.7 to $15,396Bq/kg{\cdot}dry$, when pollutants such as nuclear power plant accidents and radiation leaks were present near the rivers. The $^{137}Cs$ activities showed a variety of distribution depending on the country, when pollution occurs and survey time. Also, $^{137}Cs$ activities of river sediments without pollution sources were mostly less than $10Bq/kg{\cdot}dry$ in other countries. It was comparable with the obtained $^{137}Cs$ activities in this study. The obtained values provide useful information on the background concentration of $^{137}Cs$ in river sediment and will be able to use a basis for determining contamination of $^{137}Cs$ in the river.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.321-328
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• 2019

The detection performances of the NaI(Tl), $LaBr_3$(Ce) and $CeBr_3$ scintillation detectors, which can be used to rapidly evaluate the major artificial radionuclides deposited on the soil surface in a nuclear accident or radiological emergency, were compared. Detection performance was assessed by calculating the minimum detectable activity (MDA). The detection efficiency of each detector for artificial radionuclides was semi-empirically determined using mathematical modelling and point-like sources having certified radioactivity. The background gamma-ray energy spectrum for MDA evaluation was obtained from relatively wide and flat grassland, and the MDA values of each detector for the major artificial radionuclides that could be released in nuclear accidents were calculated. As a result, the relative MDA values of each detector regarding surface deposition distribution at normal environmental radiation level were evaluated as high in the order of the NaI(Tl), $LaBr_3$(Ce), and $CeBr_3$ detectors. These results were compared based on each detector's intrinsic and measurement environment background, detection efficiency, and energy resolution for the gamma-ray energy region of the radionuclide of interest.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.40-46
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• 1974

The fission neutron reactions of $^{47}Ti(n.p)^{47}Sc$ and $^{93}Nb(n,{\alpha})^{90m}Y$, along with epicadmium neutron reaction of $^{96}Zr(n,{\gamma})^{97}Zr$ were used for the simultaneous determination of Ti, Nb and Zr in synthetic mixture. Prior to neutron irradiation, Ti, Zr and Nb in the mixture were separated together in one group through the cation exchange column of Dowex $50{\times}8$ resin using 0.5 M ${\alpha}$-hydroxy-iso-butyric acid as the eluent. After irradiation of the eluate the product nuclides, $^{97}Zr$, ^{47}Sc$ and ^{90m}Y$, were eluted sequentially through the same column with 0.5 M ${\alpha}$-HIBA, 0.5 M ${\alpha}$-HIBA-1 N HNO_3 and 0.5 M ${\alpha}$-HIBA-2 N HNO_3$ solution, respectively. The gamma-ray spectrometry was used for the measurement of the gamma-ray activities of the eluted nuclides. The detection limits of Nb, Ti and Zr were found to be 0.2 %, 0.01 % and 0.002 %, respectively.

• Clean Technology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.81-90
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• 2019

A dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma reactor packed with $Ni-CeO_2/{\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ catalyst was used for the dry ($CO_2$) reforming of propane (DRP) to improve the production of syngas (a mixture of $H_2$ and CO) and the catalyst stability. The plasma-catalytic DRP was carried out with either thermally or plasma-reduced $Ni-CeO_2/{\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ catalyst at a $C_3H_8/CO_2$ ratio of 1/3 and a total feed gas flow rate of $300mL\;min^{-1}$. The catalytic activities associated with the DRP were evaluated in the range of $500{\sim}600^{\circ}C$. Following the calcination in ambient air, the ${\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ impregnated with the precursor solution ($Ni(NO_3)_2$ and $Ce(NO_3)_2$) was subjected to reduction in an $H_2/Ar$ atmosphere to prepare $Ni-CeO_2/{\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ catalyst. The characteristics of the catalysts were examined using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), temperature programmed reduction ($H_2-TPR$), temperature programmed desorption ($H_2-TPD$, $CO_2-TPD$), temperature programmed oxidation (TPO), and Raman spectroscopy. The investigation revealed that the plasma-reduced $Ni-CeO_2/{\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ catalyst exhibited superior catalytic activity for the production of syngas, compared to the thermally reduced catalyst. Besides, the plasma-reduced $Ni-CeO_2/{\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ catalyst was found to show long-term catalytic stability with respect to coke resistance that is main concern regarding the DRP process.