The 15th Global Conference on Materials Science and Engineering (CMSE 2026)

Abstract: Accurate neutron flux and spectrum measurement are crucial for the operation and safety of nuclear reactors. This study reveals the effectiveness of neutron foil activation analysis for measuring neutron flux in the reactor core. The experiment successfully demonstrated the use of neutron foil activation analysis to measure neutron flux in a TRIGA research reactor. The experiment involved irradiating two gold (Au) samples, one unwrapped and one cadmium-wrapped at three different reactor power levels (50, 70, and 100 kW). The unwrapped sample interacted with a broader range of neutron energies, resulting in higher activity and flux compared to the wrapped sample. Specifically, at 50 kW, the unwrapped Au sample exhibited an activity 1.52E+06 disintegrations per second (dps) and a flux of 3.42E+09 neutrons per square centimetre per second (n/cm²s), whereas the wrapped sample had an activity of 4.49E+05 dps and a flux of 1.02E+09 n/cm²s. These measurements demonstrated a linear increase in count rate, activity, and neutron flux with increasing reactor power for the unwrapped sample, while the wrapped sample showed a non-linear trend due to the cadmium cover’s selective absorption of thermal neutrons.

Keywords: Neutron Flux, Gold Samples, Absorption

Biography: Dr. Muhammad Zubair is an accomplished nuclear engineering academic with over 15 years of experience in teaching, research, and academic leadership. Currently he is serving as Associate Professor at the University of Sharjah, UAE. His academic journey includes a PhD in Nuclear Energy Science and Engineering from Harbin Engineering University, China, and a postdoctoral fellowship in South Korea, reflecting his strong international exposure and technical depth in nuclear power plant safety and risk analysis.

He served as Coordinator of Nuclear Engineering Program at Department of Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering, University of Sharjah (2024-25). He is the founder and coordinator of Nuclear Energy Systems, Simulation and Safety Research Group (Jan- 2020-Aug-2025) at University of Sharjah.

Dr. Zubair has published more than 100 research works, including journal articles, conference papers, and book chapters, demonstrating sustained scholarly productivity and impact. He has successfully secured multiple competitive research grants and coordinated funded research groups focused on nuclear energy systems, simulation, and safety. His expertise spans reactor safety analysis, living probabilistic safety assessment (LPSA), nuclear security, nuclear safeguards, radiation detection and measurements. He is also involved in the application of artificial intelligence and XAI in nuclear engineering. He also holds a granted U.S. patent, further highlighting his innovation-driven approach to research.

He serves on the editorial boards of several international journals and has chaired numerous technical sessions at international conferences. He is a member of the American Nuclear Society (ANS). Since November 2022, he has served as the University of Sharjah's focal person for the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM) and the International Nuclear Security Education Network (INSEN).

Beyond research, Dr. Zubair is a dedicated educator and academic leader. He has consistently received excellent teaching evaluations, with student satisfaction scores exceeding 4.5/5.0. He has supervised numerous postgraduate and undergraduate research projects and actively contributes to program coordination, accreditation processes (ABET and national bodies), and professional service roles.