Measurement of the 240,242Pu Neutron-induced Fission Cross Sections

The neutron-induced fission cross section of 240,242Pu has been measured at the Van de Graaff facility of the Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (JRC-IRMM). A Twin-Frisch Grid Ionization Chamber (TFGIC) has been used in a back-to-back geometry with the secondary standards 237Np and 238U to normalize the cross section. The energy range measured is from 0.2 keV up to 3 MeV. Preliminary results show some discrepancies around 1 MeV for the 242Pu with the ENDF/B-VII.1 evaluation. The spontaneous fission half-life has been measured for both isotopes, too. Preliminary results show reasonable agreement with the recommended values.