Composite materials and techniques for neutron and gamma radiation shielding

A radiation shielding admixture composite material comprising:

• a) a composite of both gamma and neutron radiation shielding naturally occurring mineral materials, selected from the group consisting of:
• i) Lead mineral materials, wherein the lead mineral materials are at least one of linarite [PbCu(SO4)(OH)2], larsenite [PbZnSiO4OH (FeO, MgO, CaO)], lead- silicates (PbO2SiO2), galena (PbS), anglesite (PbSO4), wulfenite (PbMoO4) and lead-chromate (crocite-PbCrO4) in amounts ranging from 10-50 weight percent of said radiation shielding admixture composite;
• ii) Boron mineral materials, wherein the boron mineral materials are at least one of hydroborocite (CaMgB6O115H2O), boracite (Mg10B14O26C12), sassolite (H3BO3), tincalconite (Na2B4O75H2), Iron boride (Fe2B), silicon hexaboride (SiB6), aluminum dodecaboride (AlB12), magnesium tertaboride (MgB4) and strontium hexaboride (SrB6) in amounts ranging from 10-50 weight percent of said radiation shielding admixture composite;
• iii) Cadmium mineral materials;
• wherein the cadmium mineral materials are at least one of greenockite (CdS), cadmium ocher [CdS, FeO(OH)n], cadmoselite (CdSe), cadmium fiuroborate [CdO, K, F (BO4)]cadmium carbonate (otavite-CdCO3) and cadmium oxides in amounts ranging from 2-20 weight percent of said radiation shielding admixture composite;
• iv) Iron mineral materials, wherein the iron mineral materials are at least one of siderite (FeCO3), goethite (FeOOH), melanterite [Fe2+(SO4).7(H2O)], lepidocrocite (Fe OOH), iron biotite mica [K(Mg, Fe)3AlSi3O10(OH)2]and ferrihydrite (5Fe2O3.9H2O) in amounts ranging from 5-30 weight percent of said radiation shielding admixture composite;
• v) Lithium mineral materials, wherein the lithium mineral materials are at least one of lepidolite mica [(K2Li3Al4Si7(OH, F)3)], spodumene (LiAlSi2O6), petalite (LiAlSi4O10), amblygonite (LiAl(F, OH)PO4), lithium hydrozinium sulfate [Li(N2H5SO4)]and lithium hydride (LiH) in amounts ranging from 5-30 weight percent of said radiation shielding admixture composite;
• vi) Aluminum mineral materials, wherein the aluminum mineral materials are at least one of gibbsite [Al(OH)3], heulandite [(Na, Ca)2Al13(Al, Si)2Si13O3612H2O], clinoptilite [(Na, K, Ca)2Al13(Al,Si)2Si13O3612H2O], stilbite[Na3Ca3(Al8 Si28O72)30H2O] and diaspore [AlO(OH)]in amounts ranging from 5-25 weight percent of said radiation shielding admixture composite;
• vii) Coal mineral materials, wherein the coal mineral materials are at least one of sub-bituminous to bituminous coal with 90 percent carbon and 10 percent other mineral materials, anthracite coal with 90-95 percent carbon and 5-10 percent other associated mineral materials in amounts ranging from 3-20 weight percent of said radiation shielding admixture composite;
• viii) Titanium mineral materials, wherein the titanium mineral materials are at least one of rutile (TiO2) and titano-magnetite (TiO.Fe3O4) in amounts ranging from 5-25 weight percent of said radiation shielding admixture composite;
• ix) Sulfate mineral materials, wherein the sulfate mineral materials are at least one of jarosite [KFe3+3(SO4)2(OH)6], melanterite [Fe2(SO4).7(H2O)]and magnesium sulfate heptahydrate (MgSO4 .7H2O) in amounts ranging from 2-15 weight percent of said radiation shielding admixture composite;
• x) Hydride mineral materials, wherein the hydride mineral materials are at least one of ditantalum hydride (Ta2H), lithium hydride (LiH) and titanium dihydride (TiH2) in amounts ranging from 5-15 weight percent of said radiation shielding admixture composite;
• xi) Leaded-glass material, wherein the leaded-glass material is at least one of 20 percent lead glass, 30 percent lead glass, 40 percent lead glass, 50 percent lead glass in amounts ranging from 5-50 weight percent of said radiation shielding admixture composite;
• or
• xii) Combinations of i-xi
• b) Carrier grout matrix selected from the group consisting of:
• i) Type A—Modified cement carrier grout matrix;
• wherein the Type A carrier grout matrix comprising:
• a) 20-40 weight percent of Type I Portland cement, 10-15 weight percent of cement-kiln dust, 5-20 weight percent of polyethylene fibers, 5-15 weight percent of steel fibers, 5-10 weight percent of polymeric graphite and 5-10 weight percent of ground blast furnace slag in amounts ranging from 20-50 weight percent of said radiation shielding admixture composite;
• b) 20-40 weight percent of Type II Portland cement, 5-20 weight percent of polyethylene fibers, 5-15 weight percent of steel fibers, 5-10 weight percent of polymeric graphite, 2-10 weight percent of Class-N Pozzolan fly ash, 5-15 weight percent of cement-kiln dust and 5 weight percent of ground blast furnace slag in amounts ranging from 20-50 weight percent of said radiation shielding admixture composite;
• c) 20-40 weight percent of cements modified with hydrated calcium-alumina silicate, iron, alumina-hydrated calcium sulfate and magnesium oxychloride-phosphate, 5-15 weight percent of Plaster of Paris, 5-10 weight percent of silica-gel and 10 weight percent of clays in amounts ranging from 20 -50 weight percent of said radiation shielding admixture composite;
• or
• d) Combinations of a, b and c
• ii) Type B—Polymer modified asphaltenes and maltenes carrier grout matrix;
• wherein the Type B carrier grout matrix comprising of:
• a) Asphaltenes and maltenes modified with elastomers, polymers, emulsifiers, dispersants, gallants, antioxidant stabilizers, aromatic solvents, plasticizers, fire retardants, and curing and cross-linking agents in amounts ranging from 20-50 weight percent of said radiation shielding admixture composite;
• b) Asphaltenes and maltenes modified with thermoplastic elastomers, polymers, thermosetting modifiers, chemical modifiers, fibers, adhesion improvers, natural asphalts and fillers in amounts ranging from 20-50 weight percent of said radiation shielding admixture composite;
• or
• c) Combination of a and b
• iii) Type C—Polymer modified polyurethane foam carrier grout matrix, wherein the Type C carrier grout matrix comprising of:
• a) Polyurethane foam modified by a composite of isocynates (diphenylmethane 4, 4′diisocyanate) and aromatic isocyanurate (toluene 2, 4 and 2, 6 diisocyanates), modified with triols, tetrols, amines, metal salts, organometallic compounds and silicones in amounts ranging from 20-50 weight percent of said radiation shielding admixture composite;
• b) Polyurethane foam modified by a composite of isocynates, polyols and isocynates (diphenylmethane 4, 4′diisocyanate), modified with triols, tetrols, amines, metal salts and oraganometallic compounds and silicones in amounts ranging from 20-50 weight percent of said radiation shielding admixture composite;
• c) Polyurethane foam modified by a composite of polymer/resin and ethylene bis-tetrabromophthalimide modified with chlorinated phosphonate ester, neutral phosphorus-based polyol, hexabromocylododecane, tetrabromocuclooctane, hexabromododecane and bisphenol-A type epoxy in amounts ranging from a 20-50 weight percent of said radiation shielding admixture composite;
• or
• d) Combinations of a, b and c;
• and iv) Combinations of i, ii and iii.