Texture imaging of zirconium based components by total neutron cross-section experiments

The transmission of thermal neutrons through an object is affected by the microstructure and crystallographic texture of the composing material. As a result, the total neutron cross section of common metallic objects departs largely from that expected for polycrystalline materials without preferred orientation. In this work we present the wavelength dependence of the total cross section of different Zr-based components of nuclear reactors, such as pressure tubes, rolled plates and welds. The experimental values found for the total cross section are discussed in terms of the crystallographic texture that results from the component manufacturing. The discussion is based on energy-resolved radiographies taken at the ISIS Facility, UK, using a novel micro-channel plate detector; and theoretical calculations of the elastic coherent total cross section from the orientation distribution function (ODF) of the crystallites composing a sample. The connection existing between texture and neutron transmission is exploited to investigate the spatial variation of texture across Zr-based components.