Moldable neutron sensitive compositions, articles, and methods
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A moldable, neutron sensitive composition comprising:
- (a) an inorganic scintillating component;
(b) a neutron capture component comprising a nuclide having a thermal neutron absorption capture cross-section of at least about 100 barns;
(c) a gamma-ray insensitive, transmissive moldable resin composition;
wherein said inorganic scintillating component and said neutron capture component are in intimate mixture with at least each other; and
wherein said moldable, neutron sensitive composition is a solid or semi-solid with sufficient flowability for molding into a shaped article.
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Abstract
Moldable neutron sensitive compositions containing an inorganic scintillating component, and neutron capture component, and a moldable resin component, are described. They are prepared with optimized compositions for maximized thermal neutron sensitivity. Methods for preparing such compositions, and articles and radiation detectors made from them are described as well.
38 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A moldable, neutron sensitive composition comprising:
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(a) an inorganic scintillating component; (b) a neutron capture component comprising a nuclide having a thermal neutron absorption capture cross-section of at least about 100 barns; (c) a gamma-ray insensitive, transmissive moldable resin composition; wherein said inorganic scintillating component and said neutron capture component are in intimate mixture with at least each other; and wherein said moldable, neutron sensitive composition is a solid or semi-solid with sufficient flowability for molding into a shaped article. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A moldable, neutron sensitive composition comprising:
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(a) an inorganic scintillating component comprising doped ZnS; (b) a neutron capture component comprising a 6Li nuclide; (c) a gamma-ray insensitive, transmissive moldable resin composition; wherein said inorganic scintillating component and said neutron capture component are in intimate mixture with at least each other;
wherein said moldable, neutron sensitive composition is a solid or semi-solid with sufficient flowability for molding into a shaped article;
wherein the mass ratio of neutron capture component to inorganic scintillating component is from about 0.2 to about 1; and
wherein the volume fraction of the sum of volumes of inorganic scintillating component and neutron capture component to the total volume of moldable neutron sensitive composition is from about 40% to about 80%.
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23. A method of fabricating a moldable, neutron sensitive composition, said method comprising steps:
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(i) forming an intimate mixture of at least one inorganic scintillating component and at least one neutron capture component comprising a nuclide having a thermal neutron absorption capture cross-section of at least about 100 barns; (ii) combining the intimate mixture of said at least one inorganic scintillating component and said at least one neutron capture component with a gamma ray-insensitive, transmissive moldable resin composition under conditions effective to form said moldable, neutron sensitive composition as a solid or semi-solid with sufficient flowability for molding into a shaped article. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method for forming a shaped, neutron sensitive article comprising steps:
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(i) providing a moldable, neutron sensitive composition comprising an inorganic scintillating component, a neutron capture component comprising a nuclide having a thermal neutron absorption capture cross-section of at least about 100 barns, and a gamma-ray insensitive, transmissive moldable resin composition, wherein said inorganic scintillating component and said neutron capture component are in intimate mixture with at least each other, and wherein said moldable, neutron sensitive composition is a solid or semi-solid with sufficient flowability for molding into a shaped article; (ii) shaping said neutron sensitive composition into a shaped neutron sensitive article by a step selected from the group consisting of tape casting, slip casting, extrusion, pultrusion, injection molding, compression molding, blow molding, rolling, thermoforming, vacuum forming, kneading, pressing, coating, spraying, printing, and combinations thereof.
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35. A shaped, neutron sensitive article made by shaping a moldable, neutron sensitive composition;
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wherein the moldable, neutron sensitive composition comprises an inorganic scintillating component, a neutron capture component comprising a nuclide having a thermal neutron absorption capture cross-section of at least about 100 barns and a gamma-ray insensitive, transmissive moldable resin composition, wherein said inorganic scintillating component and said neutron capture component are in intimate mixture with at least each other, and wherein said moldable, neutron sensitive composition is a solid or semi-solid with sufficient flowability for molding into said shaped article; wherein parameters of thickness, Vf, and mass ratio of neutron capture component to inorganic scintillating component of said shaped neutron sensitive article are each preselected to yield a thermal neutron sensitivity value for the article of at least about 5.0%. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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Specification