Self-supporting structures for nuclear radiation shields and binders therefor

Abstract

Abstract A COMPOSITION IS PROVIDED WHICH IS ADAPTED FOR PRODUCING A SELF-SUPPORTING STRUCTURE AND PARTICULARLY A NUCLEAR RADIATION SHIELD. THE COMPOSITION INCLUDES A MIXTURE OF AT LEAST TWO SOILD MATERIALS AND A SOLVENT FOR ONE OR MORE OF THESE MATERIALS ADMIXED WITH THE MIXTURE OF SOLID MATERIALS. THE SOLVENT EMPLOYED MAY BE WATER OR AN ORGANIC COMPOUND, OR THE LIKE. THE SOLUTE MAY BE INORGANIC OR AN ORGANIC COMPOUND AND PREFERABLY SUCROSE. THE OTHER SOLID MATERIAL OR MATERIALS ARE SUBSTANCES THAT HAVE GOOD ATTENUATING CHARACTERISTICS FOR NUCLEAR RADIATION OF VARIOUS TYPES AND ENERGY LEVELS, PARTICULARLY FOR NEUTRONS AND GAMMA (OR X-RAY) RADIATION. THESE SUBSTANCES CONTAIN ATOMS SUCH AS HYDROGEN, WHICH ARE EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING NEUTRON ENERGY BY ELASTIC SCATTER; ATOMS SUCH AS CARBON, WHICH ARE EFFICIENT IN MODERATING HIGHER ENERGY NEUTRONS TO THERMAL NEUTRON ENERGY LEVELS; ATOMS SUCH AS LITHIUM, BORON AND GADOLINIUM, WHICH ARE GOOD ELEMENTS FOR THE CAPTURE O THERMALIZED NEUTRONS; AND ATOMS OF HEAVY METALS SUCH AS LEAD, TUNGSTEN AND DEPLETED URANIUM, WHICH HAVE GOOD ATTENUATING CHARACTERISTICS FOR GAMMA AND XRAY RADIATION. THERE IS ALSO PROVIDED A METHOD FOR FORMING A SELF SUPPORTING STRUCTURE WHICH COMPRISES ADMIXING SUCROSE OR OTHER SOLUBLE MATERIAL WITH A SECOND SOLID MATERIAL, A SOLVENT FOR THE SUCROSE OR ITS SUBSTITUTE BEING EMPLOYED. THE INGREDIENTS ARE MIXED TO OBTAIN PREFERABLY A SATURATED SOLUTION OF THE SOLUTE AND A PRODUCT OF MORTAR CONSISTENCY. THIS PRODUCT IS SHAPED AND CURED TO FORM A SELF-SUPPORTING STRUCTURE.

Inventors

• 👤 W Cornelius
• 👤 J Peterson

Bibliographic Details