Study of variation of neutron induced cross-section for ²³Na, ³⁹K and ⁴¹K

The fast neutron induced reaction cross-section data is required for the materials which are used in designing nuclear reactors. These reactions produce the long-lived radio-isotopes causing radio-protection, shielding and nuclear waste problems in the reactors. The Sodium potassium (NaK) alloy is one of such material that is used in the fast neutron reactors as a coolant material, which on interaction with neutrons produces long-lived radio-isotopes like ²³Na(n, 2n)²²Na (T_1/2= 2.6018 year), ³⁹K(n, p)³⁹Ar(T_1/2= 269 year) and ⁴¹K(n, 2n)⁴⁰K (T_1/2= 1.248*10e9 year) etc. Also, Potassium is present in cement and concrete, therefore ³⁹K(n, p)³⁹Ar reaction also gives impacts on the long-term radio-protection and shielding issues in the fusion reactor power plant. To study neutron reactions with these materials we have done the theoretical calculations for the fast neutron induced reactions such as (n, γ), (n, p), (n, α) and (n, 2n) for different isotopes of Sodium (²³Na; abun: 100%) and Potassium (³⁹K; abun: 93.2% and ⁴¹K; abun: 6.73%) using EMPIRE-3.2.2 and TALYS-1.8 nuclear model codes. The calculations have been done in the energy range starting from the reaction threshold to 20 MeV