Surface corrosion analysis of machine elements using thin layer activation technique with the proton beam from national medical cyclotron

The surface of metallic objects becomes activated when irradiated with a narrow energetic charged particle (eg. proton) beam. The depth of the activated region and the yield of the induced radioactivity depend on the charged particle energy and beam intensity respectively. The surface radioactivity of the irradiated object is depleted when the activated surface undergo wear or corrosion processes. Therefore, the quantitative assay of the remaining surface radioactivity could be used as a very effective method for monitoring wear or corrosion processes. This poster highlights some interesting results of the Thin Layer Activation (TLA) study currently undertaken at the Health Physics laboratory of the National Medical Cyclotron