Ion beam analysis facility at the centre for energy research & development at Ile-Ife Nigeria and its applications in research

Abstract The Centre for Energy Research and Development (CERD), Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, acquired a NEC 1.7 MV Tandem Pelletron accelerator with one beamline in 2008 for ion beam experiments. This was upgraded in 2014, with the addition of a second beamline equipped with NEC RC 43 end station. This paper presents an overview of the accelerator, its capabilities, and its applications in research. A full description of the first end-station designed and built at iThemba Labs, South Africa, is also presented. A number of PIXE and RBS experiments have been carried out using this facility and the results are also presented. This paper further discusses the diverse areas of application of the accelerator, including solid minerals/geology, biomedical samples, materials science, environmental pollution, and agriculture.