Measurement of the ²³⁸U(n,γ)²³⁹U and ²³⁸U(n,2n)²³⁷U Reaction Cross Sections Using a Neutron Activation Technique at Neutron Energies of 8.04 and 11.90 MeV

The (n,γ) and (n,2n) capture cross sections of ²³⁸U have been measured at neutron energies of 8.04 ± 0.30 and 11.90 ± 0.35 MeV from the ⁷Li(p,n) reaction using an activation and off-line gamma-ray spectrometric technique. The experimentally determined ²³⁸U(n,γ) and ²³⁸U(n,2n) reaction cross sections were compared with the evaluated data of ENDF/B-VII.0, JENDL-4.0, JEFF-3.1/A, and CENDL-3.1. The experimental values were found to be in agreement with the evaluated value based on ENDF/B-VII.0, JENDL-4.0, and JEFF-3.1/A but not with CENDL-3.1. The present measurement has been compared with literature data in a wide range of neutron energies. The ²³⁸U(n,γ)²³⁹U and ²³⁸U(n,2n)²³⁷U reaction cross sections were also calculated theoretically using the TALYS 1.4 computer code and compared with the experimental data.