According to "Nature" report, with the construction of China's spallation neutron source put into use, China's new generation of neutron generator is playing a significant role in materials science and other fields to enhance the overall strength of the country in related fields.It is reported that in Dongguan Of China's sporadic neutron source (CSNS) facilities will contribute about 2.2 billion yuan to enable more and more top physicists, material scientists and international collaborators in China to participate in various physical and engineering experiments, and its designers also hope that the Facilities play an important role in manufacturing batteries, bridges, aircraft engines and even cancer treatment.
Graphic: Engineers are working on a piece of equipment from China's spallation neutron source (CSNS)
Wang Weili, a physicist at City University of Hong Kong, said: 'This is not only a big step forward for China's science but also a major event for the international scientific community.'
Beam bombardment
Spallation neutron sources produce neutrons by striking metal targets with protons and CSNS using tungsten as metal targets. This approach is more cost-effective and safer than using nuclear reactors to produce neutron beams. Since neutrons have no charge, They make it easier to penetrate materials, and neutrons are more sensitive to elements such as hydrogen and can therefore be used to test fuel cell manufacturing materials. Similar facilities are available only in the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan and Switzerland, and facilities in Sweden are in Under construction.
Fujio Maekawa, a neutron source expert at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Center in Tokai, Japan, said although the density of neutrons produced by spallation neutron sources in China is lower than that of other spallation sources, this means longer experiments are required. Given the scarcity of neutron generators, 'users around the world will always welcome new neutron sources,' he said.
China's spallation neutron source can carry up to 20 beam lines to support as many instruments and equipment as possible, of which the preliminary testing of the first three instruments began on November 1. The head of the Chinese spallation neutron source neutron science department Wang Fangwei pointed out: 'Neutron sampling is in line with expectations.' While overall commissioning may take years, he expects these devices to be calibrated and ready for preliminary testing by the end of 2017.
Chinese physicists are eager to use this facility to analyze the basic magnetic properties of materials while China has a wealth of knowledge in the field of materials science.Mr Wang pointed out that these devices are expected to allow Chinese scientists to obtain disruptive discoveries in cutting-edge disciplines such as magnetism Vortex-like excitation of materials and high-temperature superconductors, etc. "A large number of leading scientists are anxious to use this facility to study the magnetic properties of materials."
Global appeal
Wang believes that China's spallation neutron source will encourage Chinese researchers to stay in China rather than seek career development elsewhere, saying: 'In the past, it was not uncommon for Chinese scientists to go abroad to conduct such research.'
The first equipment at the facility has attracted international researchers as well, says German material scientist Frank Klose, who said he and his wife splinter neutron sources in China and materials scientist Christine Rehm has decided Joining the Guangdong Institute of Technology in Guangdong Province, Shantou, the focus of his research on data storage devices and sensors for hydrogen-powered cars, he helped design one of the instruments to study the magnetism of spintronic devices that Use electron spin to store data.
However, many scientists also expressed concern about the location of spallation neutron sources in China, claiming that Dongguan lacks relevant services and infrastructure such as the lack of influential schools and universities. It is precisely these sound infrastructure that attract top scientists and The families moved in. One researcher familiar with the facility, who declined to be named, said: 'I believe China's spallation neutron source is also plagued by the lack of first-line scientists in Dongguan itself, and many potential users of neutron generators also said Some worries, although the facility can hold 20 instruments, only three will be commissioned this year.
However, more instruments are already under construction and two instruments funded by the Shenzhen government are expected to be completed by the end of 2019, one of them aimed at simulating high-pressure environments such as the Earth's core Geophysicists at the Carnegie Institution of Science in Washington, DC Mao Heguang is looking to use it to simulate high-pressure conditions to test the performance of new materials, Mao pointed out: 'China's spallation neutron source instrument will be the Earth, the environment and energy science and physics, chemistry and materials science, an important asset. Excitement, the entire neutron community is also very excited '.
