Determination of thermal neutron capture cross-section of 94Zr

Zirconium is an important and major component of the structural materials used in traditional and advanced nuclear reactors. Because of its very low absorption cross-sections of thermal neutrons and resistance to corrosion, ninety percent of zirconium produced is frequently used as cladding of fuel rods, calandria vessel and pipe lines of secondary coolant circuit in nuclear reactors in the form of zircaloy. The literature available in IAEA-EXFOR indicates that most of the thermal neutron activations cross-sections for zirconium isotopes were made in reactors with neutron spectra and therefore were not precise thermal cross-section measurements. Motivated by these requirements, the thermal neutron activation reaction cross-section for 94Zr(n,γ)95Zr was determined using activation and off-line γ-ray spectrometric technique. For determination of 'thermal neutron' activation cross-section of 94Zr, thermal column of swimming pool type APSARA reactor was utilized