Development and evaluation of boron carbide-modified unsaturated polyester resin for use as neutron radiation Protection

Abstract Neutrons are electrically neutral particles that can penetrate through various materials and interact with atomic nuclei. Neutrons can emit radiation with varying degrees of energy, which can be harmful to both living organisms and the environment. The objective of this study is to evaluate the thermal neutron (0.025 eV) shielding properties of unsaturated polyester resin with boron carbide content ranging from 0 to 20 wt% for use as neutron shielding materials. The FLUKA Monte Carlo simulation was utilized to evaluate the interactions between thermal neutrons and materials with a thickness of 5 cm. The total cross-section, mean free path, and half-value thickness were calculated to assess the shielding properties of materials. The results indicated that as the boron carbide content increased, the total cross-section increased while the mean free path and half-value thickness decreased. In addition, the polyester resin with 20 wt% of boron carbide exhibited the best properties for shielding thermal neutrons. Thus, this study suggests that unsaturated polyester resin containing boron carbide can be used as an effective material for shielding thermal neutrons.