Aluminum Activation

Neutron activation of aluminum may occur by several neutron capture reactions. Four such reactions are described here: ²⁷Al + n = ²⁸Al, ²⁷Al(n,a )²⁴Na, ²⁷Al(n,2n)²⁶Al and ²⁷Al(n,p)²⁷Mg. The radioactive nuclei ²⁸Al, ²⁴Na,  and ²⁷Mg, which are produced via the ²⁷Al + n = ²⁸Al, ²⁷Al(n,a )²⁴Na and ²⁷Al(n,p)²⁷Mg neutron reactions, beta decay to excited states of ²⁸Si, ²⁴Mg and ²⁷Al respectively. These excited states then emit gamma rays as the nuclei de-excite to their respective ground states.

• ²⁷Al + n = ²⁸Al
• ²⁷Al(n,p)²⁷Mg
• ²⁷Al(n,a )²⁴Na
• ²⁷Al(n,2n)²⁶Al
• Gamma Spectra
• Results

Neutron energies E_thermal ~.025 eV E_slow ~ 1 keV E_fast ~ 100keV-10 MeV