American Chemical Society, Analytical Chemistry, 11(87), p. 5716-5722, 2015
DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.5b00878
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The latest determination of the Avogadro constant, carried out by counting the atoms in a pure silicon crystal highly enriched in 28Si, reached the target 2 × 10-8 relative uncertainty required for the redefinition of the kilogram based on the Planck constant. The knowledge of the isotopic composition of the enriched silicon material is central; it is measured by isotope dilution mass spectrometry. In this work, an independent estimate of the 30Si mole fraction was obtained by applying a relative measurement protocol based on Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis. The amount of 30Si isotope was determined by counting the 1266.1 keV γ-photons emitted during the radioactive decay of the radioisotope 31Si produced via the neutron capture reaction 30Si(n,γ)31Si. The x(30Si) = 1.043(19) × 10-6 mol mol-1 is consistent with the value currently adopted by the International Avogadro Coordination.