Innovative neutron shielding materials composed of natural rubber-styrene butadiene rubber blends, boron oxide and iron(III) oxide

Optimized flexible and lightweight neutron shielding materials were designed using the Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) code. Thicknesses of 10 mm and 100 mm were tested for neutron shielding performances. Simulation results indicated that the 10 mm shielding material of natural rubber (NR) and styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) blend (1:1) with 60 part per hundred rubber (phr) boron oxide (B2O3) and 100 mm shielding material with four alternating layers of NR with 100 phr iron (III) oxide (Fe2O3) and of NR and SBR blend (1:1) with 10 phr B2O3 were most suitable for thermal neutron shielding and all-energy neutron shielding, respectively. Experimental results verified the shielding efficiency of these optimal designs and ease of fabrication.