Interaction of Neutrons with Matter

[SamAnotnio]

TL;DR

Elastic Scattering

For Elastic neutron interactions with matter, they mentioned that the neutron will collide with atomic nucleus and the recoil nuclei quickly become ion pairs and loose energy through excitation and ionization.
How does this nuclei become ion pair? It is when the neutron interact with it and remove protons? if so, where will this proton go?

 

[mathman]

Doesn't sound right. A neutron undergoing elastic scattering loses energy simply by momentum tranfer to the target nucleus.

 

[mfb]

If the recoil nucleus moves through material it will lose its outer electrons.