Non-combustible nuclear radiation shields with high hydrogen content

Claim 3

The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the discontinuous phase is a hydrocarbon.

Claim 4

The method as defined in claim 2 wherein the hydrocarbon is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutylene and polystyrene and combinations thereof.

Claim 5

The method as defined in claim 1 wherein a metallic atom is dispersed in the organic compound prior to the mixing of the dry mortar ingredients.

Claim 6

The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the organic material is a plastic which is adapted to withstand radiation doses of less than approximately 1 × 10 7 rads.

Claim 7

The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the continuous phase of the fire resistant cementitious material is a matrix produced from metalic lead powder and water.

Claim 8

The method according to claim 1 in which the continuous phase of the fire resistant cementitious material is selected from the group consisting of Portland cement, wall plaster, Plaster of Paris, silica gel, clay or combinations thereof, set with water.

Claim 9

The method according to claim 1 comprising dispersing a further material in the continuous phase and including a neutron attenuating substance.

Claim 10

The method as defined in claim 8 in which said further material is selected from substances containing atoms with atomic numbers below 10.

Claim 11

The method as defined in claim 9 in which said attenuation substance is carbon, boron, lithium, hydrogen or combinations thereof.

Claim 12

The method as defined in claim 1 comprising dispersing a further material in the continuous phase, said further material including hydrogenous compounds selected from the group consisting of an organic substance, a hydroxide, a hydrate and combinations thereof.

Claim 13

The method as defined in claim 1 comprising dispersing a further material in the continuous phase, the further material including a metal hydride which is stable in the presence of water.

Claim 14

The method as defined in claim 12 comprising a further material dispersed in the continuous phase and including metallic atoms selected from the group consisting of titanium, gadolinium, samarium, europium, dysprosium, plutonium and combinations thereof.

Claim 15

The method as defined in claim 1 comprising dispersing a further material in the continuous phase, said further material including a substance containing a heavy metallic atom that in the free elemental state has a density greater than approximately 7.0 g cm -3 at 20° C.

Claim 16

The method as defined in claim 1 comprising dispersing a further material in the continuous phase, said further material including a natural metallic ore aggregate.

Claim 17

The method as defined in claim 1 comprising dispersing a further material in the continuous phase, said further material being in the form of aggregates with a multiplicity of screen sizes.

Claim 18

The method as defined in claim 16 in which the distribution of particle size of aggregates is selected to produce an aggregate mixture with less than 40 percent void volume.

Claim 19

The method as defined in claim 17 in which the setting agent is water and comprising a further material dispersed in the continuous phase and including sucrose.

Claim 22

The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said discontinuous phase contains hydrogen atoms in the form of titanium hydride.

Claim 23

A self-supporting, non-combustible, nuclear radiation shielding composition comprising a continuous phase of fire resistant cementitious material and a discontinuous phase dispersed therein, said discontinuous phase containing hydrogen atoms in the form of a rigid, combustible, organic plastic or resin with a particle size distribution such that no more than 10 percent of said discontinuous phase passes a 150 mesh screen and with a volume percent range of said continuous phase between about 40 percent and about 98 percent of the total shield volume, said continuous phase being adapted to retain its shape in the presence of a temperature adapted to soften, melt or decompose the discontinuous phase, said composition further comprising a further material dispersed in the continuous phase and including a substance containing at least one enriched isotope of an element in a ratio different from that present in natural abundance.

Claim 24

A self-supporting, non-combustible, nuclear radiation shielding composition comprising a continuous phase of fire resistant cementitious material and a discontinuous phase dispersed therein, said discontinuous phase containing hydrogen atoms in the form of a rigid, combustible, organic plastic or resin with a particle size distribution such that no more than 10 percent of said discontinuous phase passes a 150 mesh screen and with a volume percent range of said continuous phase between about 40 percent and about 98 percent of the total shield volume, said continuous phase being adapted to retain its shape in the presence of a temperature adapted to soften, melt or decompose the discontinuous phase, said composition further comprising a further material dispersed in the continuous phase and including a substance containing at least one enriched isotope of an element in a ratio different from that present in natural abundance.

Claim 25

The composition of claim 21 wherein said enriched isotope is selected from the group consisting of lithium 6, boron 10, cadmium 113, samariun 149 and gadolinium 157.