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Neutrons have many applications in scientific and medical research. Credit: Shutterstock Technological progress owes much to our scientific understanding of the materials we use to build the world around us, from longer-lasting cell-phone batteries to new medicines. Scientists and engineers rely on a full suite of tools to understand the properties of materials at the atomic and molecular levels, and they use various probes such as visible light, lasers, ultrasound, X-rays, electrons and neutrons. Each tool reveals certain properties of materials, generating knowledge that guides to better understanding and improvements. Neutron beams are among the most unique , and are used to study materials and processes at the subatomic level. Neutrons are one of the constituent parts of all atoms and, together with protons, form an atom’s nucleus. They offer unparalleled sensitivity to light elements and magnets and because of their unique penetrating properties they can provide clear images of the interior of objects without disturbing them. Access to neutrons Scientific study using neutrons requires a sufficient quantity to be produced by specialized, large-scale laboratories. Canada has been a pioneer in this field, and the majority of that research— more than 120 research papers per year involving 250 Canadian […]
