Study on the Properties of Boron-Containing Ores/Epoxy Composites for Slow Neutron Shielding

Three kinds of low cost shielding materials using boron-containing ores and epoxy as starting materials were developed. The three boron-containing ores consist of natural green ore that is specific in China and the two artificial minerals that are boron-containing iron ore concentrate and boron-rich slag. They were got after natural green ore dressing and separation from blast furnace, respectively. The shielding performance of slow neutron and 60Co γ ray among the three shielding materials were compared. The results show that boron-rich slag as neutron absorber performs relative good slow neutron shielding ability, its macroscopic cross section (Σ) is 0.271cm-1 which is about 1.72 times higher than Lead-Boron Polyethylene B201 whose macroscopic cross section (Σ) is 0.158cm-1. Boron-containing iron ore concentrate/epoxy composite performs relative good 60Co γ ray shielding ability and its linear attenuation coefficient (μ) is 0.0772cm-1. The elements boron and iron that exist as compound in ore are the main reasons to affect the slow neutron shielding performance. The iron element that exists as compound in the ore has the main attribution to 60Co γ ray shielding.