Neutron-absorbing material and method of making same
AssigneeAdvanced Refractory Technologies, Inc.
InventorsKeith A. Blakely, Peter T. B. Shaffer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A neutron-absorbing material is formed by a process which includes the steps of: mixing an absorptive material having a high thermal neutron capture cross-section (e.g., B.sub.4 C), a neutron-moderating material (e.g., graphite) and a binder (e.g., a phenol formaldehyde resin); shaping such mixture; curing such shaped mixture (e.g., to complete polymerization of the resin and to have only a carbon residue); and siliconizing such shaped and cured mixture. The resulting product has been formed to be denser and stronger, and more oxidation- and abrasion-resistant than prior art compositions.
Claims27
A neutron-absorbing material formed by a process which includes the steps of:
- creating a mixture consisting of an absorptive material having a high thermal neutron capture cross-section and having an element selected from the group consisting of boron, gadolinium, europium, indium, samarium, dysprosium, iridium, thorium and uranium, (b) a neutron-moderating material consisting of either carbon or graphite, and (c) a phenol formaldehyde resin binder;
- shaping such mixture;
- curing such shaped mixture;
- and
- siliconizing such shaped and cured mixture by causing silicon to react with substantially all of the free carbon in such mixture to form silicon carbide.
A method of making a neutron-absorbing material, comprising the steps of:
- creating a mixture consisting of (a) an absorptive material having a high thermal neutron capture cross-section and having an element selected from the group consisting of boron, gadolinium, europium, indium, samarium, dysprosium, iridium, thorium and uranium, (b) a neutron moderating material consisting of either carbon or graphite, and (c) a phenol formaldehyde resin binder;
- shaping such mixture;
- curing such shaped mixture;
- and
- siliconizing such shaped and cured mixture by causing silicon to react with substantially all of the free carbon in such mixture to form silicon carbide.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.