Radiation Shielding Effect of Boron Carbide Aluminum Metal Matrix Composite

Abstract

Boralyn (Al/B4C) composite material is produced chiey of boron carbide and aluminum. Boron Carbide is an important material for the nuclear industry due to high neutron absorption cross-section. This composite is used as shielding materials to absorb neutrons in the nuclear reactors and control road materials. In this study we investigated Al/B4C composites against gamma radiation. For that purpose, 5 wt.%, 10 wt.%, 15 wt.% and 20 wt.% reinforcement content were investigated. Cs-137 gamma radioisotope source which has 662 keV gamma energy photons were used. For each material, linear and mass attenuation coecients were calculated. Theoretical mass attenuation coecients were calculated from XCOM computer code. The theoretical results were compared with experimental results. The results were showed that increasing the amount of Boron Carbide compound content of boralyn composite material decrease the linear and mass attenuation coecient of materials

A Study on the Gamma-Ray Attenuation Coefficients of Al₂O₃ and Al₂O₃.TiO₂ Compounds

“…The linear attenuation coefficients of Al2O3;mm and Al2O3;nm are similar to those of TiB2-reinforced B4C-silicon carbide composites [5] and spark plasmasintered B4C-Al [9]; however, they are higher than the values reported for h-BN and h-BN-TİB2 composites [4] and lower than those of Al-4% Cu/B4C metal matrix composites [6], B4C Al metal matrix composites [7], and some stainless and BSs steels [8] at 661.7 keV. At gamma energies of 1173.2 and 1332.5 keV, Al2O3;mm and Al2O3;nm samples have lower linear attenuation coefficients than Al-4% Cu/B4C metal matrix composites [6] and TiB2-reinforced B4C-SiC [10].…”

“…While the linear attenuation coefficient values of Al2O3.TiO2;mm and Al2O3.TiO2;nm are higher than those of h-BN and h-BN-TİB2 composites [4], TiB2-reinforced B4C-silicon carbide composites [5], and spark-plasma sintered B4C-Al [9], they are lower than the values reported for Al-4% Cu/B4C metal matrix composites [6], and some stainless and BSs steels [8]. Furthermore, they are similar to the values reported for B4C Al metal matrix composites [7] at a gamma energy level of 661.7 keV. However, the linear attenuation coefficients of Al2O3.TiO2;mm and Al2O3.TiO2;nm are lower than those of Al-4% Cu/B4C metal matrix composites [6] and TiB2-reinforced B4C-SiC [10] The best HVL value of 3.57 cm obtained in this study is better than the results of [9], but significantly less than the values reported for some stainless and boron steels [8].…”

MCNP-X Monte Carlo Code Application for Mass Attenuation Coefficients of Concrete at Different Energies by Modeling 3 × 3 Inch NaI(Tl) Detector and Comparison with XCOM and Monte Carlo Data

“…In recent years, many researchers have studied determination of mass attenuation coefficients theoretically and experimentally for Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations various materials, such as some experimental studies performed by Akkurt and El-Khayatt [19]. Effect of the boron carbide aluminum metal matrix composite on radiation shielding has been studied by Akkaş et al [20]. Investigation of biological materials and their attenuations by comparing Monte Carlo and XCOM have been studied Medhat et al [21].…”

Development of theoretical-computational model for radiation shielding

“…Similarly, Nambiar and Yeow employed polymers reinforced with micro or nanostructure that have the great potential to be used as radiation shielding materials (Nambiar & Yeow, 2012). Gamma radiation effects have been examined in the boron carbide aluminum matric composite to calculate linear and mass attenuation coefficients as well (Akk et al, 2015). Harmon et al found out that the dispersion of CNT's in polymer (Poly Methyl Methacrylate) may lessen the degradation of properties with gamma irradiation and concluded that the SWNTs can dissipate the energy by ionizing radiations.…”