Utilization of ilmenite/epoxy composite for neutrons and gamma rays attenuation

This work deals with the study of ilmenite/epoxy composite as an injecting mortar for cracks developed in biological concrete shields, as well as, neutrons and gamma rays attenuation. Effects of the particle size on the mechanical strengths have been studied for epoxy resin filled with crushed ilmenite with different maximum particle sizes ranging from 32 to 500 mum. Thermal neutrons and gamma rays attenuation in iltnenite/epoxy composites with 75 and 80 wt.%, of ilmenite concentration have been investigated. The total mass attenuation coefficients mu/rho (cm(2) g(-1)) of gamma ray for five ilinenite/epoxy composites have been calculated using the XCOM program (version 3.1) at energies from 10 keV to 100 MeV. Also, the total mass attenuation coefficients (mu/rho) have estimated based on the measured total linear attenuation coefficients (mu) and compared with the calculated results where, a reasonable agreement was found. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.