Prospects for the application of Ti-Zr-based alloys in a neutron diffraction experiment

Ti-Zr-based alloys have a valuable property: the element ratio can be selected so that the neutron scattering length is reduced to zero, eliminating Bragg reflections. This property makes Ti-Zr-based alloys highly useful in neutron diffraction experiments, where certain devices must be placed directly in the neutron beam. This work studies the potential of as-melted Ti-32.4Zr alloy and thermomechanically treated and laser powder bed fused Ti-18Zr-15Nb shape memory alloy as materials in direct contact with specimens in a neutron beam — for example, in powder containers or pressure gas cells in neutron diffraction experiments. As a result, all tested alloys have no pronounced Bragg reflections of the neutrons. Their linear neutron attenuation coefficient is on similar level and about 1.7 times lower than those of commonly used vanadium. Reference silicon powder can be easily studied by neutron diffraction experiment in a custom-made container of the Ti-32.4Zr alloy with thick (2.5 mm) walls. Functional properties of Ti-32.4Zr and Ti-18Zr-15Nb alloys are on a similar level, while Ti-18Zr-15Nb alloy has a significant advantage due to ease of manufacturing and material availability. Thus, the Ti-18Zr-15Nb shape memory alloy is a promising candidate for devices staying in the direct contact with the specimen and placed in a neutron beam and which should be transparent to neutrons not to affect the results of the experiment, as for example fixtures, the powder container, pressure gas cells, high-pressure cell elements and gaskets in a neutron diffraction experiment.

1. “Neutron research complex based on the IR-8 reactor” of the National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute” -
2. the financial support of the Russian Science Foundation - https://rscf.ru/project/25-19-00871