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PUBLICATIONS

Phase stability and lithium loading capacity in a liquid scintillation cocktail

Published

Author(s)

Denis E. Bergeron, Mark A. Tyra, Hans P. Mumm

Abstract

Liquid scintillation cocktails loaded with neutron capture agents such as 6Li are used in both neutron and neutrino detectors. For detectors designed to operate over extended timespans, long-term stability can be a concern. We demonstrate the identification of thermodynamically unstable emulsions as distinct from stable microemulsions, driving phase separation with centrifugation. Phase separation was identified by monitoring the quench indicating parameter, measured using an external Compton source. Samples were also characterized by dynamic light scattering, where in an extreme case, phase separation could be observed in real time. We describe a stable cocktail with 0.01 mass fraction added Li, a relatively high Li concentration.
Citation
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry
Volume
314
Pub Type
Journals

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-017-5341-8

Keywords

Phase separation, inverse beta decay, neutrino, neutron, liquid scintillation, Li-6
Chemical thermodynamics and chemical properties, Neutron research and Nuclear physics

Citation

Bergeron, D. , Tyra, M. and Mumm, H. (2017), Phase stability and lithium loading capacity in a liquid scintillation cocktail, Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, [online], https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-017-5341-8 (Accessed October 16, 2025)

Issues

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Created August 2, 2017, Updated November 10, 2018
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