A Study of the Neutron Absorbing Properties of Al + B4C and Al + B Coatings Formed by Cold Gas-Dynamic Spraying

For the first time, the efficiency of thermal neutron absorption by composite coatings deposited by cold gas-dynamic spraying from mechanically activated mixtures of Al + B4C and Al + B powders on the surface of stainless steel samples has been compared with a reference standard. The comparison with the standard, which was boron steel plates, showed that the resulting coatings are somewhat inferior in terms of neutron absorption efficiency. To estimate the required thickness of the coatings, an approach based on the processing of the experimental data obtained is proposed that, in particular, takes into account the dependence of the absorption cross section on the distance traveled by the neutron flux. As well, the analysis has shown that the existing undulation (periodic inconstancy of the thickness) of the coating has virtually no effect on its protective properties (namely, on its neutron absorption coefficient).