Concentration of Hydrogen in Titanium Measured by Neutron Incoherent Scattering

Mass fractions of hydrogen in titanium matrices have been measured using neutron incoherent scattering (NIS) and compared with results from prompt gamma activation analysis (PGAA). Qualitatively, NIS is a more efficient technique than PGAA which involves neutron absorption, and the former may be suitable for on-line analysis. However, for NIS the scattering contribution comes from both the hydrogen and the matrix, whereas prompt gamma emission has minimal matrix effect. To isolate the signal due to hydrogen scattering, a set of polypropylene films is used to simulate the increasing amount of hydrogen, and the scattered intensity is monitored. From this response, an unknown amount of the hydrogen can be deduced empirically. The authors have further attempted a first principle calculation of the intensity of the scattered signal from the experimental systems, and have obtained good agreement between calculation and the measurements. The study can be used as a reference for future applications of the scattering method to other hydrogen-in-metal systems.