Published in Chemistry World, 12 Jan 2012
The Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC), based in Tokai, was supposed to be one of the leading facilities of its kind, allowing an unprecedented view of microstructures in the life and physical sciences. But when the $1.5 billion (£1 billion) facility opened in 2009, it was missing something important: helium-3, a neutron-detector material. Thanks to a global shortage, which came to light the year before, availability of helium-3 has plummeted while prices have skyrocketed.
J-PARC needs 100,000 litres of helium-3 to run properly, but has secured only 85,000 litres.
Faced with such a massive shortfall, J-PARC, together with more than a dozen other neutron-scattering facilities all over the world, is now investigating alternatives to helium-3 neutron detectors. And they’re not the only ones. Government agencies are also in on the search, because border security devices have traditionally used helium-3 to detect the transport of illicit, neutron-emitting radioactive material. But with helium-3 reserves eroding rapidly, the question is whether these alternatives will arrive soon enough and whether they can help all helium-3 users. […]
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