• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제48권4호
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• pp.184-196
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• 2023

Background: Radiation protection is crucial in various fields due to the harmful effects of radiation. Shielding is used to reduce radiation exposure, but gamma radiation poses challenges due to its high energy and penetration capabilities. Materials and Methods: This work investigates the radiation shielding properties of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) samples containing different weight fraction of tungsten carbide (WC), tungsten trioxide (WO₃), and tungsten disulfide (WS₂). Parameters such as the mass attenuation coefficient (MAC), half-value layer (HVL), mean free path (MFP), effective atomic number (Z_eff), and macroscopic effective removal cross-section for fast neutrons (Σ_R) were calculated using the Phy-X/PSD software. EpiXS simulations were conducted for MAC validation. Results and Discussion: Increasing the weight fraction of the additives resulted in higher MAC values, indicating improved radiation shielding. PVDF-xWC showed the highest percentage increase in MAC values. MFP results indicated that PVDF-0.20WC has the lowest values, suggesting superior shielding properties compared to PVDF-0.20WO₃ and PVDF-0.20WS₂. PVDF-0.20WC also exhibited the highest Z_eff values, while PVDF-0.20WS₂ showed a slightly higher increase in Z_eff at energies of 0.662 and 1.333 MeV. PVDF-0.20WC has demonstrated the highest Σ_R value, indicating effective shielding against fast neutrons, while PVDF-0.20WS₂ had the lowest Σ_R value. The Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport version 5 (MCNP5) simulations showed that PVDF-xWC attenuates gamma radiation more than pure PVDF, significantly decreasing the dose equivalent rate. Conclusion: Overall, this research provides insights into the radiation shielding properties of PVDF mixtures, with PVDF-xWC showing the most promising results.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제56권1호
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• pp.301-308
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• 2024

Ceramic materials are being explored as alternatives to toxic lead sheets for radiation shielding due to their favorable properties like durability, thermal stability, and aesthetic appeal. However, crafting effective ceramics for radiation shielding entails complex processes, raising production costs. To investigate local viability, this study evaluated Malaysian ceramic tiles for shielding in diagnostic X-ray rooms. Different ceramics in terms of density and thickness were selected from local manufacturers. Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) characterized ceramic compositions, while Monte Carlo Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System (MC PHITS) simulations determined Linear Attenuation Coefficient (LAC), Half-value Layer (HVL), Mass Attenuation Coefficient (MAC), and Mean Free Path (MFP) within the 40-150 kV energy range. Comparative analysis between MC PHITS simulations and real setups was conducted. The C3-S9 ceramic sample, known for homogeneous full-color structure, showcased superior shielding attributes, attributed to its high density and iron content. Notably, energy levels considerably impacted radiation penetration. Overall, C3-S9 demonstrated strong shielding performance, underlining Malaysia's potential ceramic tile resources for X-ray room radiation shielding.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제56권6호
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• pp.2131-2140
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• 2024

The chloride-induced stress corrosion cracking (CISCC) is one of the major integrity concerns in dry storage canisters made of austenitic stainless steels (ASSs). In this study, an advanced duplex stainless steel (DSS) with a composition of Fe-19Cr-4Ni-2.5Mo-4.5Mn (ADCS) was developed and its performance was compared with that of commercial ASS and DSS alloys. The chemical composition of ADCS was determined to obtain greater pitting and CISCC resistance as well as a proper combination of strength and ductility. Then, the thermomechanical processing (TMP) condition was applied, which resulted in higher strength than ASSs (304L SS and 316L SS) and better ductility than DSSs (2101 LDSS and 2205 DSS). The potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) results represented the better pitting corrosion resistance of ADCS compared to 304L SS and 316L SS by forming a better passive layer. The CISCC tests using four-point loaded specimens showed that cracks were initiated at 24 h for 304L SS and 144 h for 316L SS, while crack was not found until 1008 h for ADCS. Overall, the developed alloy, ADCS, showed better combination of CISCC resistance and mechanical properties as dry storage canister materials than commercial alloys.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제56권5호
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• pp.1747-1753
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• 2024

The accurate determination of formation density and the physical properties of rocks is the most critical logging tasks which can be obtained using gamma-ray transport and detection tools. Though the simulation works published so far have considerably improved the knowledge of the parameters that govern the responses of the detectors in these tools, recent studies have found considerable differences between the results of using a conventional model of a homogeneous mixture of formation and fluid and an inhomogeneous fractured medium. It has increased concerns about the importance of the complexity of the model used for the medium in simulation works. In the present study, we have suggested two various models for the flow of the fluid in porous media and fractured rock to be used for logging purposes. For a typical gamma-gamma logging tool containing a ¹³⁷Cs source and two NaI detectors, simulated by using the MCNPX code, a simplified porous (SP) model in which the formation is filled with elongated rectangular cubes loaded with either mineral material or oil was investigated. In this model, the oil directly reaches the top of the medium and the connection between the pores is not guaranteed. In the other model, the medium is a large 3-D matrix of 1 cm³ randomly filled cubes. The designed algorithm to fill the matrix sites is so that this realistic random (RR) model provides the continuum growth of oil flow in various disordered directions and, therefore, fulfills the concerns about modeling the rock textures consist of extremely complex pore structures. For an arbitrary set of oil concentrations and various formation materials, the response of the detectors in the logging tool has been considered as a criterion to assess the effect of modeling for the distribution of pores in the formation on simulation studies. The results show that defining a RR model for describing heterogeneities of a porous medium does not effectively improve the prediction of the responses of logging tools. Taking into account the computational cost of the particle transport in the complex geometries in the Monte Carlo method, the SP model can be satisfactory for gamma-gamma logging purposes.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제56권9호
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• pp.3545-3552
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• 2024

Polymers have become widely used substrate materials for shielding neutron rays because of their high hydrogen content and easy processing procedures. Rare-earth materials are also being gradually adopted as neutron absorbers because of their considerable thermal neutron absorption cross-sections. This paper utilizes the FLUKA Monte Carlo simulation program to compare the shielding effects of various polymers and rare-earth oxides on neutron rays across different energy ranges. The study investigates the superior shielding materials for neutron radiation in each energy range. Subsequently, a series of materials are simulated by combining the preferred shielding materials for neutron rays in each energy range, exploring the influence of material composition and composite structure on the effectiveness of neutron ray shielding. It is revealed that the preferred material for shielding neutron rays changes for different energy ranges. For low-energy neutron rays, rare-earth oxides such as Sm₂O₃ and Gd₂O₃ demonstrate the most effective shielding, whereas for high-energy neutron rays, polyethylene (PE) provides the best shielding performance. Materials with different compositions show varying preferred structures when dealing with a ²⁵²Cf neutron source. However, in mitigating the secondary gamma rays generated during the neutron shielding process, stacked-type materials exhibit the most effective shielding performance.

• 한국의학물리학회지:의학물리
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.42-51
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• 2015

양성자 치료 시 양성자 빔을 사용하여 정밀한 치료를 수행하고 환자의 안전을 제고하기 위해서는 인체 내 양성자 빔의 선량 분포를 확인하는 것이 중요하다. 이를 위해 본 연구팀은 이전 연구에서 1차원 배열형 검출기를 종형으로 배치하여 빔 진행방향으로 이동시켜가면서 2차원적인 즉발감마선 분포를 측정하여 양성자 선량 분포와 유사한 분포를 갖는 것을 확인하였다. 본 연구에서는 이를 바탕으로 즉발감마선 이차원분포를 실시간으로 측정하기 위해 이차원 평행다공형 집속 장치, 이차원 배열의 NaI(Tl) 섬광체와 MA-PMT로 이루어진 즉발감마선 이차원분포 측정 장치를 개발하였다. 개발한 즉 발감마선 이차원분포 측정 장치의 성능을 평가한 결과 $^{22}Na$ 감마선원의 에너지 분해능은 $10.9%{\pm}0.23p%$ (0.511 MeV)와 $6.4%{\pm}0.24p%$ (1.275 MeV)로 평가되었으며, $^{137}Cs$은 $9.8%{\pm}0.18p%$ (0.662 MeV)로 평가되었다. 고에너지 Am-Be 선원의 double escape 피크인 3.416 MeV의 에너지 분해능은 $11.4%{\pm}3.6p%$로 평가되었다. 본 측정 장치를 이용하여 45 MeV 양성자 빔을 PMMA에 조사하여 발생한 즉발감마선 이차원분포를 측정한 결과 0.5 nA의 세기의 양성자 빔에서 $9{\times}10^9$ 양성자 조사 시 양성자 선량 분포와 유사한 즉발감마선 이차원분포를 측정할 수 있음을 확인하였다. 추가로 측정한 즉발감마선 이차원분포의 프로파일 분포를 이용하여 양성자 빔의 비정을 평가해 본 결과 $17.0{\pm}0.4mm$로 평가되었고, 실제 비정인 17.4 mm과 굉장히 밀접한 관련이 있음을 확인하였다.

• 대한핵의학회지
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.533-540
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• 1995

정량적인 PET 영상에서는 감쇠보정이 매우 중요하며 가장 정확한 방법은 투과스캔을 관심부위에 실시하여 측정된 감쇠보정영상을 만들고, 이를 같은 부위에서 실시한 방출 영상의 재구성에 적용하는 것이다. 기존의 방법은 투과스캔 후에 추적자가 섭취되기까지 장시간이 경과된 후 방출스캔을 하므로 PET스캐너의 효율적 사용에 제한이 있었다. 따라서, 스캔시간을 단축하고 촬영중 환자가 움직일 가능성을 최소화시켜 영상의 질을 개선하고 PET스캐너의 효율을 높이기 위하여, 추적자를 주사한 후 투과 및 방출스캔을 동시에 실시하여, 투과스캔에서의 측정치를 왜곡시키는 방출계수를 빼주는 T+E 감쇠보정 방법을 실행하였다. 배후에는 F-l8 fluoride ion $0.4{\mu}Ci/cc$의 방사능을 가진 물을 실린더 모형(5750 cc)에 채우고, 목적물을 나다내는 1개의 삽입물 실린더(276 cc)에는 F-18 fluoride ion $4.3{\mu}Ci/cc$의 방사능을 주입하고 공기를 주입한 삽입물 실린더와 테플론으로 이루어진 삽입물 실린더를 사용하여 T+E 방법의 특성을 고찰하였다. 투과용선원으로 Ge-68(10 mCi) 회전 핀선원을 사용하여 5시간 동안에 T+E 스캔을 5분, 10분, 20분, 방출스캔을 20분씩 교대로 5차례 실행하여 투과 및 방출영상이 최종 방출영상에 미치는 오차를 측정하였다. T+E 스캔으로 감쇠보정한 방출영상과 기준 투과영상으로 감쇠보정한 방출영상을 비교하면, 목적물의 방사능이 $1.0{\mu}Ci/cc$일 경우 T+E 감쇠보정 방법의 오차는 2.6%이었으며 이 오차는 목적물의 방사능이 줄어들수록 더욱 감소하였다. 또한, T+E 방법으로 구성된 방출영상의 노이즈는 기준 투과스캔 방법으로 보정된 영상에 비하여 유의한 차이를 보이지 않았다. 그러므로, 회전 핀선원과 투과 및 방출 동시 영상 방법을 사용하여 정확한 감쇠보정을 할 수 있었으며 이 방법은 임상 PET 영상에서 환자당 스캔시간을 줄임으로써, 환자의 움직임으로 인하여 발생할 수 있는 오차를 최소화하여 PET 스캐너의 효율을 높일 수 있었다.

• 한국진공학회지
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• 제7권s1호
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• pp.20-24
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• 1998

Photploymer films are widely used in printing and electronic industries, and their usage is expanding to encompass holography, data storage and data processing, optical waveguides and compact disks, etc. One of widely used photoplymerization initiator, 20chloro-hexaarylbiimidazole (o-Cl-HABI), is studied by laser flash photolysis in dichloromethane solution in the absence and presence of the visible light photosensitizing dye, 2, 5-bis[(2, 3, 6, 7 -tetrahydro- 1H, 5H -benzo [i, j,] quinolizin -1-yl) methylene]-cyclopenta-none, (JAW). In the presence of JAW, an increase in triarylimidazolyl radicals L.formation is observed in relative to the absence of JAW. The mechanism of this photosensitizing dissociation is concluded as the dissociation of the o-Cl-HABI radical anion formed by the electron transfer from excited singlet state of JAW to o-Cl-HABI. The observed formation of L.radicals exhibits a linear dependence on o-Cl-HABI concentration. The rate constant of electron transfer obtained from this dependence is equal to (1.0$\pm$0.2) x $10^9 M^{-1}s^{-1}$. No reaction between the excited triplet state of JAW and o-Cl-HABI is found.

• 한국안전학회지
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.123-130
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• 2002

본 논문은 사고관리방안 수행에 있어서 발생되는 인적오류의 정량적 평가방법을 개발하여 공동범람 사고관리방안의 예제문제에 적용한 연구결과를 기술하고있다. PSA에서 사용되었던 기존의 인간오류평가 방법론인 THERP, HCR, SLIM-MAUD 방법의 특징을 검토하여 장단점을 기술하였다. 본 연구에서 제시하는 인간오류평가 방법론은 신뢰도물리모델을 이용하는 새로운 HRA 분석방법이다. 불확실성 분석을 위하여 MAAP 코드와 LHS 코드가 사용되었다. 본 연구를 통하여 제안하는 방법은 매우 유연하여 중대사고관리방안과 관련한 다양한 인간오류행위에 대한 평가에 사용될 수 있음을 보여주었다.

• 한국우주과학회:학술대회논문집(한국우주과학회보)
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• 한국우주과학회 2008년도 한국우주과학회보 제17권2호
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• pp.34.1-34.1
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• 2008

Cosmic ray (CR)s are energetic particles that are found in space and filter through our atmosphere. They are classified with galactic cosmic ray (GCR)s and solar cosmic ray (SCR)s from their origins. The process of a CR particle colliding with particles in our atmosphere and disintegrating into smaller pions, muons, neutrons, and the like, is called a cosmic ray shower. These particles can be measured on the Earth's surface by neutron monitor (NM)s. Regarding with the space weather, there are common types of short term variation called a Forbush decrease (FD) and a Ground Level Enhancement (GLE). In this talk, we will briefly introduce our recent studies on CRs observed by NM: (1) simultaneity of FD depending on solar wind interaction, (2) an association between GLE and solar proton events, and (3) diurnal variation of the GCR depending on geomagnetic cutoff rigidity. NM will provide a crucial information for the Korea Space Weather Prediction Center (KSWPC).