Investigation of inelastic scattering of slow neutrons by polyethylene

Abstract

Inelastic scattering of slow neutrons by polyethylene was studied in one of the horizontal channels of the VVR-M reactor at the Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukainian SSR by the time of flight method. Energy spectra of neutrons scattered by polyethylene at 15°, 30°, 60°, 90° and 120° were measured for seven values of incident-neutron energy (15.4, 25.5, 49.4, 98,8, 136.1, 193.2, and 317 MeV). Doubly differential cross sections for neutron scattering by polyethylene were obtained, the scattering law S(α, β) was found, and the frequency spectrum P(β) was generalized for polyethylene. Averaged characteristics for neutron scattering by polyethylene were computed (average energy release, logarithmic loss, etc.).