Applications of the advanced neutron source reactor

When the technique of neutron scattering was pioneered at the X-10 graphite reactor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory about 50 years ago, it was used to study certain important, but fairly esoteric, properties of crystals. From this modest beginning, neutron scattering has become a major tool in every branch of science, from the astrophysics of the early universe to human biology, and in many important industrial and engineering applications. In a typical modern research reactor it is not unusual to find one instrument studying new polymeric materials, while its neighbor is measuring residual stress in a jet turbine, sometimes with the jet operating. Most of this development has taken place outside of the United States, primarily in Western Europe, Japan and Russia, and it is generally recognized that we are a decade behind our competitors in this important field. The Advanced Neutron Source (ANS), planned to become operational as a user-facility at Oak Ridge at the end of this decade, will regain our leadership in neutron-based research and will be a major center for attracting new students into science. This paper discusses some of the research and development applications of the ANS, with an emphasis on applied materials science and engineering