Copper based neutron absorbing material for nuclear waste containers and method for making same
AssigneeSCM Metal Products, Inc.
InventorsAnil V. Nadkarni, Jack D. Troxell
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Abstract
A composite material comprising a pure copper or dispersion strengthened copper matrix and a boron rich species, such as, but not limited to, elemental boron or boron carbide, for use in the fabrication of baskets that support spent nuclear fuel in nuclear waste containers. A method for manufacturing the composite material using powder metallurgy and hot extrusion.
Claims25
An essentially fully densified composite material comprising:
- a dispersion-strengthened copper as a first phase;
- a boron constituent as a second phase, wherein said boron constituent is elemental boron or boron carbide;
- said boron constituent being substantially uniformly distributed throughout the dispersion-strengthened copper, the proportion of said boron constituent being at least about 0.5 percent by weight of the material.
A composite material for use in fabricating nuclear waste containers for supporting spent nuclear fuel and absorbing neutron radiation, said material comprising:
- a dispersion-strengthened copper as a first phase;
- a boron constituent as a second phase, wherein said boron constituent is elemental boron or boron carbide;
- said boron constituent being substantially uniformly distributed throughout the dispersion-strengthened copper, the proportion of said boron constituent being at least about 0.5 percent by weight of the material;
- said material being essentially fully densified.
A process for manufacturing a composite material of a dispersion-strengthened copper as a first phase and a boron constituent as a second phase, wherein said boron constituent is elemental boron or boron carbide, the proportion of said boron constituent being at least about 0.5 percent by weight of the material, said process comprising the steps of:
- a. mixing a powder of the dispersion-strengthened copper with a powder of the boron constituent to provide a composite powder with said boron constituent substantially uniformly distributed throughout the copper constituent;
- and
- b. essentially fully densifying said composite powder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.