天然橡胶基柔性中子/伽马射线复合屏蔽材料研究

Research on Natural Rubber Based Flexible Neutron/Gamma Shielding Materials

  • 摘要: 以天然橡胶(NR)为基材、铋(Bi)和碳化硼(B4C)/氧化钆(Gd2O3)为射线屏蔽体,研制了B4C/Bi/NR和Gd2O3/Bi/NR中子/伽马复合屏蔽材料,并研究了两种复合屏蔽材料的中子/伽马屏蔽性能和力学性能。结果表明,随着B4C和Gd2O3填料含量的增加,B4C/Bi/NR和Gd2O3/Bi/NR对252Cf裂变中子(经12 cm厚聚乙烯慢化)的屏蔽性能逐渐提高,而当Gd2O3含量高于40 phr时,Gd2O3/Bi/NR对中子的屏蔽率趋于稳定,实验结果与MCNP相互验证。研究发现,252Cf裂变中子在复合材料内的透射比均满足指数递减规律,且当B4C和Gd2O3填料含量为80 phr时复合材料对252Cf裂变中子的屏蔽能力最佳,B4C/Bi/NR和Gd2O3/Bi/NR的中子反应截面分别为0.265 cm−1和0.267 cm−1。另外,B4C/Bi/NR对59.5 keV伽马射线的屏蔽性能随B4C含量的增加而降低,而Gd2O3/Bi/NR对59.5 keV伽马射线的屏蔽性能随Gd2O3含量的增加而增强;加入B4C后天然橡胶的力学性能下降,而适量Gd2O3的加入(20 phr)有助于提升天然橡胶的力学性能,Gd2O3/Bi/NR复合材料作为混合辐射场屏蔽材料具有潜在应用价值。

     

    Abstract: With the development of science and technology, all kinds of nuclear radiation rays are more widely used, and the demand for radiation protection is also increasing. Moreover, with the deepening of radiation protection application scenarios, radiation protection materials need good environmental adaptability, mobility and wearability. Therefore, in this paper, two kinds of neutron/gamma composite shielding materials, B4C/Bi/NR and Gd2O3/Bi/NR, were prepared by using natural rubber, which has excellent mechanical properties, as the matrix, bismuth as the gamma-ray shielding body, and boron carbide (B4C) and gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3) as neutron-absorbing materials, respectively. A neutron test device was built with 252Cf as neutron source and 3He counting tube as detector to investigate the neutron shielding performance of the shielding materials, and the experimental results were verified by MCNP (Monte Carlo N Particle Transport Code), while the 252Cf shielding performance of the composite shielding materials was investigated by using MCNP simulation. High-purity germanium (HPGe) detector and universal testing machine were used for gamma shielding performance test and mechanical properties test, to study the filler type (B4C and Gd2O3) and filler content on the composite shielding material gamma shielding performance and mechanical properties of the performance changes of the difference. The results show that the shielding performance of B4C/Bi/NR and Gd2O3/Bi/NR against neutron 252Cf fission neutrons (slowed down by 12 cm thick polyethylene) increases gradually with the increase of B4C and Gd2O3 fillings, while the shielding rate of Gd2O3/Bi/NR against neutrons tends to be stabilized when the Gd2O3 content is higher than 40 phr. The experimental results are mutually verified with MCNP. It is found that the transmission ratios of 252Cf fission neutrons within the composite homogeneous materials all satisfy the exponentially decreasing law, and the composites have the best shielding ability for 252Cf fission neutrons when the B4C and Gd2O3 fillings are 80 phr, and the neutron reaction cross sections of B4C/Bi/NR and Gd2O3/Bi/NR are 0.265 cm−1 and 0.267 cm−1, respectively. In addition, the shielding performance of B4C/Bi/NR against 59.5 keV gamma rays decreases with the increase of B4C addition, whereas the shielding performance of Gd2O3/Bi/NR against 59.5 keV gamma rays is enhanced with the increase of Gd2O3 content. The mechanical properties of the natural rubber decrease with the addition of B4C, whereas the addition of appropriate amount of Gd2O3 (20 phr) helps to enhance the natural rubber’s. Gd2O3/Bi/NR composites have good neutron/gamma shielding properties and mechanical properties, which have potential applications as hybrid radiation field shielding materials.

     

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