Developments in Use of Californium-252 for Neutron Radiography

Studies have been performed to evaluate the isotopic neutron source ²⁵²Cf for neutron radioraphy. By special methods of fine tuning it is possible to obtain neutron radiographs that can be compared with those obtained from a nuclear reactor facility using very low collimation (gadolinium foil converter, medium resolution film, 1:25 collimator ratio). The ²⁵²Cf exposure necessary for this quality neutron radiograph is 1 mg for 100 h (or 10 mg for 10 h, etc.). A neutron source, ²⁴⁴Cm-Be, expected to become available as a by-product of the nuclear power program, provides neutron radiographs similar in quality to those from ²⁵²Cf.