Neutron radiation induced transmutation of boron to lithium in aluminum-boron nitride composite
Lightweight materials are essential for applications in harsh environments, such as space explorations, where materials must exhibit exceptional durability and resistance to radiation damage for both humans and equipment. Boron nitride nanoplatelets (BNNPs) serve as a reinforcement in metals offerin...
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Elsevier
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Materials Today Advances |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590049824000882 |
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| author | Sohail M.A.K. Mohammed Zehao Li Kazue Orikasa Arun Devaraj David Garcia R. Sarvesha Anil Lama Mayur Pole Cheol Park Sang-Hyon Chu Ken Ross Arvind Agarwal |
| author_facet | Sohail M.A.K. Mohammed Zehao Li Kazue Orikasa Arun Devaraj David Garcia R. Sarvesha Anil Lama Mayur Pole Cheol Park Sang-Hyon Chu Ken Ross Arvind Agarwal |
| author_sort | Sohail M.A.K. Mohammed |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Lightweight materials are essential for applications in harsh environments, such as space explorations, where materials must exhibit exceptional durability and resistance to radiation damage for both humans and equipment. Boron nitride nanoplatelets (BNNPs) serve as a reinforcement in metals offering superior radiation shielding along with excellent thermal and mechanical properties for extreme environments. In this work fully dense Al-BNNP composites are fabricated by solid-state friction stir welding (FSW). The neutron mass absorption coefficient of the FSW Al-BNNP composite was measured at 0.136 cm2/g, significantly higher than the 0.06 cm2/g of its counterpart FSW aluminum. This remarkable neutron shielding effectiveness is attributed to the transmutation of the 10B isotope of BNNP to Li and He. This neutron capture mechanism was experimentally investigated at the atomic scale by atom probe tomography (APT). Notably, Al-BNNP composites demonstrate great potential as multi-functional materials for future space explorations, from spacecraft assemblies to rocket fuel tanks, benefiting from their high strength, low weight, and superior radiation shielding. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d39eadaa8d1440d08e5c4972cd5d9d20 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2590-0498 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Materials Today Advances |
| spelling | doaj-art-d39eadaa8d1440d08e5c4972cd5d9d202025-08-20T02:52:28ZengElsevierMaterials Today Advances2590-04982025-03-012510055110.1016/j.mtadv.2024.100551Neutron radiation induced transmutation of boron to lithium in aluminum-boron nitride compositeSohail M.A.K. Mohammed0Zehao Li1Kazue Orikasa2Arun Devaraj3David Garcia4R. Sarvesha5Anil Lama6Mayur Pole7Cheol Park8Sang-Hyon Chu9Ken Ross10Arvind Agarwal11Cold Spray and Rapid Advanced Deposition Laboratory (ColRAD), Mechanical & Materials Engineering Department, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33174, USAPhysical & Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352, USACold Spray and Rapid Advanced Deposition Laboratory (ColRAD), Mechanical & Materials Engineering Department, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33174, USAPhysical & Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352, USAEnergy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99354, USAInstitute for Sustainable Manufacturing, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506, USACold Spray and Rapid Advanced Deposition Laboratory (ColRAD), Mechanical & Materials Engineering Department, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33174, USAPhysical & Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352, USAAdvanced Materials and Processing Branch, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, 23681, USAAdvanced Materials and Processing Branch, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, 23681, USAEnergy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99354, USACold Spray and Rapid Advanced Deposition Laboratory (ColRAD), Mechanical & Materials Engineering Department, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33174, USA; Corresponding author.Lightweight materials are essential for applications in harsh environments, such as space explorations, where materials must exhibit exceptional durability and resistance to radiation damage for both humans and equipment. Boron nitride nanoplatelets (BNNPs) serve as a reinforcement in metals offering superior radiation shielding along with excellent thermal and mechanical properties for extreme environments. In this work fully dense Al-BNNP composites are fabricated by solid-state friction stir welding (FSW). The neutron mass absorption coefficient of the FSW Al-BNNP composite was measured at 0.136 cm2/g, significantly higher than the 0.06 cm2/g of its counterpart FSW aluminum. This remarkable neutron shielding effectiveness is attributed to the transmutation of the 10B isotope of BNNP to Li and He. This neutron capture mechanism was experimentally investigated at the atomic scale by atom probe tomography (APT). Notably, Al-BNNP composites demonstrate great potential as multi-functional materials for future space explorations, from spacecraft assemblies to rocket fuel tanks, benefiting from their high strength, low weight, and superior radiation shielding.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590049824000882Radiation shieldingBNNPNeutron captureFriction stir weldingAtom probe tomography |
| spellingShingle | Sohail M.A.K. Mohammed Zehao Li Kazue Orikasa Arun Devaraj David Garcia R. Sarvesha Anil Lama Mayur Pole Cheol Park Sang-Hyon Chu Ken Ross Arvind Agarwal Neutron radiation induced transmutation of boron to lithium in aluminum-boron nitride composite Materials Today Advances Radiation shielding BNNP Neutron capture Friction stir welding Atom probe tomography |
| title | Neutron radiation induced transmutation of boron to lithium in aluminum-boron nitride composite |
| title_full | Neutron radiation induced transmutation of boron to lithium in aluminum-boron nitride composite |
| title_fullStr | Neutron radiation induced transmutation of boron to lithium in aluminum-boron nitride composite |
| title_full_unstemmed | Neutron radiation induced transmutation of boron to lithium in aluminum-boron nitride composite |
| title_short | Neutron radiation induced transmutation of boron to lithium in aluminum-boron nitride composite |
| title_sort | neutron radiation induced transmutation of boron to lithium in aluminum boron nitride composite |
| topic | Radiation shielding BNNP Neutron capture Friction stir welding Atom probe tomography |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590049824000882 |
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