Page 76 - Neutrons for Sciences and Society

Neutrons for Science
radiation emitted by a nucleus when a neutron is captured. This may consist of γ-rays or electrons, called conversion electrons, ejected from the nucleus. Instruments have been constructed at the ILL to study both types of radiation.
The neutron is itself an elementary particle, and it is important
to study its properties. We will see later in the review of the ILL that neutrons have made fundamental contributions as much in quantum mechanics as the Standard Model of elementary particles and its possible limits.
3.4 Neutrons are indeed indispensable!
I have cited these examples of applications of neutrons to demonstrate even the most basic of physics can be studied with these particles. However most of the 700 or so experiments performed each year at the ILL relate to the determination of magnetic structures, the precise location of hydrogen atoms in organic molecules, including proteins, and the study of motion in solids and liquids, all performed with this particle, now becoming familiar to many scientists. [2018 addition: the proportion of experiments is now 40% for magnetic structures and 15% for biology and biochemistry.] These measurements would be mostly impossible with any other technique.
This presentation shows the great variety of areas where neutrons are useful. This huge range justifies the large investment required to construct a high flux reactor.
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