Material PropertiesPotential use of NR and wood/NR composites as thermal neutron shielding materials

This work investigated thermal neutron shielding, cure characteristics and mechanical properties of natural rubber (NR) and wood/NR composites with addition of either boron oxide (B2O3) or boric acid (H3BO3) for potential use as flexible shielding materials. The results showed that increase in the B2O3 or H3BO3 content from 0 to 80 phr and 0-50 phr in 10-phr increments, respectively, could improve thermal neutron shielding properties but reduced overall tensile properties, while the addition of 20-phr wood particles in wood/NR composites improved surface hardness and dimensional stability. Furthermore, the values of the Half Value Layer (HVL), which represent the required thickness of material to attenuate half of the incoming neutrons, were evaluated at a content of 80-phr B2O3 by varying thickness of both NR and wood/NR composites from 2.5 mm to 20.0 mm in 2.5-mm increments. The results indicated that the HVL values were approximately the same at 3.5 mm. Hence, the overall properties investigated in this work suggested great potential of these composites to be used as effective thermal neutron shielding materials.