Epoxy-borax-coal tar composition for a radiation protective, burn resistant drum liner and centrifugal casting method
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorsRobert S. Taylor, Norman W. Boyer
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Abstract
A boron containing burn resistant, low level radiation protection material useful, for example, as a liner for radioactive waste disposal and storage, a component for neutron absorber, and a shield for a neutron source. The material is basically composed of Borax in the range of 25-50%, coal tar in the range of 25-37.5%, with the remainder being an epoxy resin mix. A preferred composition is 50% Borax, 25% coal tar and 25% epoxy resin. The material is not susceptible to burning and is about 1/5 the cost of existing radiation protection material utilized in similar applications.
Claims8
A method for producing a radiation protective, burn resistant material for drum liners used in radioactive waste storage, comprising the steps of:
- forming a mixture by mixing together substantially 10.8-16.2 weight percent of a first material consisting essentially of digycidyl ether of Bisphenol-A, substantially 4.6-6.9 weight percent of a second material consisting essentially of an aliphatic diepoxide, substantially 4.6-6.9weight percent of a third material consisting essentially of an aromatic amine, substantially 4.8-7.2 weight percent of a fourth material consisting essentially of an aliphatic amine, substantially 25-37.5 weight percent coal tar, and substantially 25-50 weight percent borax;
- and spinning the the mixture in a centrifugator for a time period of about 8-16 hours for forming the mixture into a liner and for curing of the thus formed liner.
A cured burn resistant radiation protective material produced from materials consisting essentially of about 25-50 weight percent borax, about 25-37.5 weight percent coal tar, and about 25-37.5 weight percent epoxy resin mix with said resin mix comprising a digycidyl ether of Bisphenol-A, an aliphatic diepoxide, an aromatic amine, and an aliphatic amine, and with the percentage of coal tar to epoxy resin mix being on a one-to-one ratio.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.