{"paper_id":"2c137841-3dbd-47a8-a910-0665b40ae69c","body_text":"CR-39 track detector signatures of slow neutron like signals in Heavy-water electrolysis | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article CR-39 track detector signatures of slow neutron like signals in Heavy-water electrolysis Ankit Kumar, Tushar Verma, Pankaj Jain, Raj Ganesh Pala, K.P. Rajeev This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8547647/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract We report reproducible track-detector signals consistent with slow neutron capture events, recorded in D 2 O electrolysis involving D-Pd deposited on Pt cathode. Sensitivity to slow neutrons was achieved using boron-coated CR-39 (BCR) detectors, which register charged particle tracks arising from the 10 B(n, α) 7 Li reaction. These detectors were positioned adjacent to identically prepared uncoated CR-39 control detectors (CCR), which are effectively insensitive to slow neutrons and serve to quantify background contributions from charged particles and fast neutrons under the present experimental conditions. A reproducible differential detector signature (BCR > CCR) would thus indicative of slow neutron fluences. Across multiple independent D 2 O electrolysis experiments in 0.25 T field, the BCR exhibited significantly excess track signals relative to CCRs. Under these conditions, the observed differential response corresponds to an inferred detector-equivalent slow neutron flux of approximately (6.7±0.2) cm −2 , s −1 . Removal of the magnetic field resulted in a reduction of the differential signal by a factor of ∼ 6, indicating a strong empirical dependence on the applied field. In contrast, H 2 O electrolysis performed under otherwise identical conditions produced no measurable differential detector response, establishing the necessity of deuterated electrochemical conditions for the observed effect. The results are reported strictly as detector signatures consistent with slow neutron capture and do not assert any theoretical explanation. Instead, this work establishes a control verified and detector validated experimental protocol for detecting low flux slow neutrons, and provides empirical constraints relevant to slow neutron studies in experiments involving metal-deuteride systems. Nuclear Physics Thermal/slow neutron CR-39 detector Boron capture Heavy water electrolysis Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {\"props\":{\"pageProps\":{\"initialData\":{\"identity\":\"rs-8547647\",\"acceptedTermsAndConditions\":true,\"allowDirectSubmit\":true,\"archivedVersions\":[],\"articleType\":\"Research Article\",\"associatedPublications\":[],\"authors\":[{\"id\":571264386,\"identity\":\"464c5590-a892-47bc-b54a-471fdaf3d7a8\",\"order_by\":0,\"name\":\"Ankit Kumar\",\"email\":\"data:image/png;base64,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\",\"orcid\":\"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5962-7914\",\"institution\":\"Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur\",\"correspondingAuthor\":true,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Ankit\",\"middleName\":\"\",\"lastName\":\"Kumar\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":571264387,\"identity\":\"a0df6421-df0b-45bc-98a7-38545e881866\",\"order_by\":1,\"name\":\"Tushar Verma\",\"email\":\"\",\"orcid\":\"https://orcid.org/0009-0005-1810-6561\",\"institution\":\"Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur\",\"correspondingAuthor\":false,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Tushar\",\"middleName\":\"\",\"lastName\":\"Verma\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":571264390,\"identity\":\"03fc11f6-63de-47b6-8575-1362380ed257\",\"order_by\":2,\"name\":\"Pankaj Jain\",\"email\":\"\",\"orcid\":\"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8181-5639\",\"institution\":\"Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur\",\"correspondingAuthor\":false,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Pankaj\",\"middleName\":\"\",\"lastName\":\"Jain\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":571264391,\"identity\":\"2bc1581c-2f0f-47a4-b962-b3e71a4d4de2\",\"order_by\":3,\"name\":\"Raj Ganesh Pala\",\"email\":\"\",\"orcid\":\"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5243-487X\",\"institution\":\"Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur\",\"correspondingAuthor\":false,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Raj\",\"middleName\":\"Ganesh\",\"lastName\":\"Pala\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":571264393,\"identity\":\"1a943bdc-3def-4ef3-9236-95f753f393d3\",\"order_by\":4,\"name\":\"K.P. 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Sensitivity to slow neutrons was achieved using boron-coated CR-39 (BCR) detectors, which register charged particle tracks arising from the \\u003csup\\u003e10\\u003c/sup\\u003eB(n, α)\\u003csup\\u003e7\\u003c/sup\\u003eLi reaction. These detectors were positioned adjacent to identically prepared uncoated CR-39 control detectors (CCR), which are effectively insensitive to slow neutrons and serve to quantify background contributions from charged particles and fast neutrons under the present experimental conditions. A reproducible differential detector signature (BCR \\u0026gt; CCR) would thus indicative of slow neutron fluences. Across multiple independent D\\u003csub\\u003e2\\u003c/sub\\u003eO electrolysis experiments in 0.25 T field, the BCR exhibited significantly excess track signals relative to CCRs. Under these conditions, the observed differential response corresponds to an inferred detector-equivalent slow neutron flux of approximately (6.7±0.2) cm\\u003csup\\u003e−2\\u003c/sup\\u003e, s\\u003csup\\u003e−1\\u003c/sup\\u003e. Removal of the magnetic field resulted in a reduction of the differential signal by a factor of ∼ 6, indicating a strong empirical dependence on the applied field. In contrast, H\\u003csub\\u003e2\\u003c/sub\\u003eO electrolysis performed under otherwise identical conditions produced no measurable differential detector response, establishing the necessity of deuterated electrochemical conditions for the observed effect. The results are reported strictly as detector signatures consistent with slow neutron capture and do not assert any theoretical explanation. 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