PROCESS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF B4C-B CERAMIC COMPOSITES, IN POWDER AND CERAMIC FORMS, FOR APPLICATION AS IONIZING RADIATION SHIELDING IN AEROSPACE AND TERRESTRIAL APPLICATIONS

摘要

process for developing ceramic composites of b4c-b, in powder and ceramic forms, for application as shielding of ionizing radiation in aerospace and terrestrial applications this invention, belonging to the area of materials, more specifically materials for shielding / attenuation of ionizing radiation , describes the development of ceramic composite material of b4c-b, which can vary from 0 to up to 100% (by mass) of boron. b4c-b composites were obtained from mixtures of powders of chemical components (b4c and b) resulting in: i) mixtures of powders without and with heat treatments and ii) compacted ceramic bodies without and with heat treatments. the composites in the powder forms of ceramic bodies were characterized using x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy and gamma and neutron radiation attenuation tests. the tests consisted of determining the attenuation coefficients for gamma radiation up to 1.4 mev and for neutron radiation from thermal neutrons to 10 mev. the results showed mass attenuation coefficients between 0.0586 and 0.1475 cm2 / g for gania radiation, linear attenuation coefficients between 0.118 and 0.183 em- 'for fast neutrons up to 10 mev and linear attenuation coefficients from 47.34 to 50.30 cm- 'for thermal neutrons.