Abstract
The use of ef fective neutron shielding materials is essential for the safety of personnel and the public in all nuclear facilities, leading to a demand for better shielding materials that offer enhanced overall properties. Specifically, recent studies have shown that thermal neutron shielding materials made from recycled high-density polyethylene (R-HDPE) composites with 5 wt% of surfacetreated gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3) exhibited higher mechanical strength, crystallinity, and neutron attenuation than those without Gd2O3. However, adding higher Gd2O3 reduced overall mechanical properties of the composites due to particle agglomeration of Gd2O3, that reduced the ability of the matrix to transfer and to withstand external forces. As a result, improvements in the materials’ formulation must be developed to cope with such drawbacks. In this work, cellulose extracted from dried Para rubber leaves was incorporated into surface-treated Gd2O3/R-HDPE composites at varying cellulose contents of 0-6 wt% and relevant properties were then thoroughly investigated and analyzed. The results indicated that the addition of cellulose enhanced tensile modulus, hardness, and flexural properties of the composites, with those containing 6 wt% exhibiting higher overall neutron shielding and mechanical properties than those of commercial PE composites containing 5 wt% and 15 wt% of boron.
