• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.35-41
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• 2010

White Etching Layer(WEL) is a phenomenon that occurs on the surface of rail due to wheel/rail interactions such as excessive braking and acceleration. Rolling Contact Fatigue(RCF) cracks on the surface of rail have been found to be associated with WEL. In this study, we have investigated RCF damages of white etching layer using twin disc testing and fatigue analysis. These tests consist of wheel flat tests and rolling contact fatigue tests. WEL has been simulated by wheel flat test. It has been founded that the WEL with a bright featureless contrast is formed on the surface of specimen by etching. Rolling contact fatigue test was conducted by using flat specimens with the WEL generated by the wheel flat test. It has been observed that two types of cracks occur within the specimen. The contact fatigue test was simulated in 2D elastic-plastic FE simulations. Based on loading cycles obtained from the finite element analysis, the fatigue life analysis according to the thickness variation of WEL was carried out. The longest fatigue life was observed from the thickness of 20um.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.61-66
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• 1984

A study on the characteristics of ${\alpha}$-particle track on cellulose nitrate film was carried out with a particular emphasis on the dependence of track diameter upon chemical etching condition. The track diameters etched in KOH solution appeared to be, on average, three times larger than those etched in NaOH under the same etching condition. The relationship between the track diameters and both etching time and the energy of incident ${\alpha}$-particles was also investigated. It is shown that the particle fluence rate is fairly independent of etching time as far as the condition of irradiation remains unchanged.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.395-400
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• 2005

An environmental radon monitoring system, comprising a radon-cup, an etching system, and a track counting system, was constructed. The radon cup is a cylindrical chamber with a radius of 2.2 cm and a height of 3.2 cm in combination with a CR-39 detector. Carbon is impregnated in the bodies of the detector chamber to avoid problem of an electrostatic charge. The optimized etching condition for the CR-39 exposed to a radon environment turned out to be a 6 N NaOH solution at 70^{\circ}$ over a 7hour period. The bulk etch rate under the optimized condition was $1.14{\pm}0.03\;{\mu}m\;h^{-1}$. The diameter of the tracks caused by radon and its progeny were found to be in the range of $10\~25\;{\mu}m$ under the optimized condition. The track images were observed with a track counting system, which consisted of an optical microscope, a color charged couple device (CCD) camera, and an image processor. The calibration factor of this system is obtained to be $0.105{\pm}0.006$ tracks $cm^2$ per Bq $m^{-3}$ d.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.129-139
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• 1991

The method of etching tracks in PN-3 dosimeter has been applied to tracks of recoil protons from a neutron source. Both the etch and the detection response of PN-3 has been studied as a function of etched-track diameters against various parameters. We could obtain very useful informations about charge, energy, and mass of particles and the relationship between the track etching rate and the track forming procedure in order to analyze the particle recorded in the solid state track detector. The best etching condition could be found by means of changing the etching circumstances for various energies and particles in order to detect the charged particle accurately. It could be influenced widely that the polymer plastic detector could develep the detecting technique for the low energy level neutron and could be used as a neutron dosimeter in the radiation field such as the nuclear power station, the medical institute and the nondtructive testing institute.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.26-33
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• 1987

An experimental study for an optimum etching of commercialized cellulose nitrate SSNTD, CA 80-15 and LR 115-1 for detecting alpha particles, was carried out. Alt-hough ordinary etching condition of the detectors has been recommended by the producer, a remarkable discrepancy in etching tine was found. The detectors were irradiated with a $0.1{\mu}Ci\;^{241}Am$ alpha source under a known geometrical arrangement. Analysis on the track size as functions of etching time and etchant concentration and comparative examination of theoretically predicted number of tracks per unit area with that recorded on the detectors were made, including a study on the variation of detection efficiency with the effective energy of the incident alpha particles.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.97-107
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• 1990

A method of detecting charged particles in an allyl diglycol carbonate material (PN-3) which is available, amorphous, optically clear and thermoset plastic in which nuclear particle tracks could be revealed by etching in hot NaOH solutions, has been investigated. It has been applied to the study of alpha particle tracks over an energy range of 3.17～5.49 MeV which has been obtained after having passed through several sheets of polycarbonate. The dose equivalent rate of the alpha source was calculated and the spark chamber was used in order to measure the range of alpha particles after having passed through different number of absorbers. The etching characteristics and the detection response of PN-3 have been studied as a funcion of lengths of etched tracks against the parameters of energies and of the track etching rate(V$_{T}$). The investigation of the etching process for alpha particles in the PN-3 provided the most interesting results.s.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.263-270
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• 2005

Nuclear track is an useful tool for elemental analysis of radionuclides, such as uranium, plutonium and thorium, etc., and for elements undergoing nuclear reactions with thermal neutrons such as lithium and boron. This method has various application fields such as detecting fissionable radionuelides, measuring the fission rate in nuclear technology, analyzing cosmic radiation from meteorite, calculating the age of minerals as well as their history, etc. Track registration method has been applied to the microscopic analysis of boron and fissionable element such as uranium in KAERI. This report reviews the theoretical background of the nuclear track formation, practical procedures to obtain etched tracks and a perspective of the future.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.8-15
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• 2004

The detection efficiencies of the several solid track detectors were investigated for the determination of boron content in aqueous solution by using the alpha muti-Radioisotope(RI) source. Polycarbonate (Lexan and CR-39) and cellulose nitrate (CN-85 and LR-115) were selected as materials for alpha track detection of boron. Alpha muti-RI source, uranium metal particles and boron standard solution were used for alpha emission. In this study, four solid track detectors(CN-85, LR-115, Lexan and CR-39) were characterized under various etching conditions as well as neutron irradiation conditions. As a result, the CN-85 was turned out to be best to provide good efficiency among the four detectors. The selected solid track detector was utilized for the determination of trace amount of boron in aqueous sample and its results were discussed in the text.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1977

A base of photographic posi-film which is commecially available has been found to be a possible alpha-particle track detector. Its neutron dosimetric characteristics, i. e., alpha-particle track registrating efficiency and optimum condition of track formation by chemical etching, have been determined experimentally. The range of neutron fluence and dose capable of being measured by a neutron dosimeter consisting of alpha-particle radiator foils $(^{10}B\;and\;^{27}Al)$ and posi-flim solid state track detector, has been estimated on the basis of experimental results and theoryetical background. This detector seems to be useful for neutron dosimetry because of many favorable properties, i. e., simplicity, cheapness and a wide range of sensitivitiy.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.57-66
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• 1988

A series of experiments is performed to measure radon concentration in the near-surface soil gas at the four locations (Cheju-Si, Seoguipo-Si, Taejeong-eup, Seongsan-eup) in Cheju Island, using CR-39 detectors placed inside radon cups. Two types of radon cups are installed in shallow holes of about 15 cm in diameter and 50cm in depth. The optimum etching conditions, i.e., the concentration of NaOH solution, etchant temperature and etching time, are found to be 625N, $70^{\circ}C$ and 5.5 hours for CR-39 detectors. A typical conversion factor of radon cup is calculated as $$1track/mm^3{\cdot}30day=0.059Bq/{\ell}$$. Average radon concentrations over 30 days measured in Cheju Island from May 1, 1987 to April 23, 1988 are $3.1{\pm}0.3Bq/{\ell}$ for open radon cups and $1.7{\pm}0.2Bq/{\ell}$ for closed radon cups.