Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Purple-pink neutron in the middle of a background of purple and blue

Neutron research

Overview

NIST is at the forefront of basic research with neutrons, and the NIST Center for Neutron Research is a national resource for industry, universities and government agencies.

Featured Content

NCNR User Facility

nSoft

Center for High Resolution Neutron Scattering (CHRNS)

The Research

Projects & Programs

Security (Archive): Neutron Detector Replacement Program

Completed

The Department of Homeland Security/Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DHS/DNDO) is pursuing a course to transform 3 He alternative technologies into integrated

Measurement Quality in Hydrogen Storage R&D

Ongoing

No existing hydrogen storage material satisfies the Department of Energy (DoE) goal of achieving a commercial hydrogen storage system for competitive hydrogen

Crystallographic Databases

Ongoing

Components and devices used in a broad spectrum of technology sectors such as health care, communications, energy and electronics are manufactured from

View All Projects/Programs

Additional Resources Links

Publications

Tools & Instruments

See Differently With Neutrons at NIST

How neutrons are used by researchers at the NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR).

View video

News

Heather Chen-Mayer loading a jade artifact into a neutron detector

How Neutrons and Gamma Rays Can Reveal Our Cultural Heritage

Most people think that understanding and preserving our cultural heritage is mainly the concern of the social sciences and humanities, such as archaeology and art history. But physical sciences, including physics and chemistry, often play a large role as well. Determining the elemental composition, or signature, of archaeological finds or objects in museum collections can provide insight into

View from above shows NIST's Center for Neutron Research building with green lawns and trees.

NRC Authorizes Restart of NIST Research Reactor

Black and white micrograph shows tiny white panels standing parallel to form small squares on a dark background.

Spotlight: Zebra-Striped Structures to Twist Neutrons and Extend Researchers’ Vision

Near a set of belching smokestacks sits a diagram of the structure of a metal-organic framework, with open spaces holding carbon dioxide molecules trapped inside.