Anomalous neutron activation and plastic deformation of a copper cathode during electrolysis in an ultraweak thermalized neutron field

Anomalous neutron activation of the hardened Si-doped copper cathode (Cu:Si) has been established under the combined action of electrolysis and an ultraweak thermalized neutron field (UTNF) with a flux as low as Φ n=180 n/s-cm 2. It was found that the number of neutrons captured in the sample during relatively short electrolysis runs ( t⩽5000 s) is in a good agreement with β −-Cu nuclide count rate from the cathode. It was also established that plastic deformation of the hardened copper cathode under the combined action of electrolysis and UTNF could be explained energetically by a model assuming a selective radiationless thermalizied neutron capture beneath the surface at the high internal strain concentration sites.