| 摘要 |
A one-step curing method for the manufacture of neutron absorbing articles, such as those of long thin plate form for use in storage racks for spent nuclear fuel, includes curing a mixture of boron carbide particles, phenolic resin in liquid state and phenolic resin in particulate solid form at an elevated temperature to produce a neutron absorbing article containing at least 6% of B10 content from the boron carbide thereof, 60% to 80% of boron carbide particles and 40% to 60% of irreversibly cured phenolic polymer, with the proportion of weight of phenolic resin in liquid state to that of phenolic resin in solid state being within the range of about 1:0.5 to 1:4, the temperature of the cure being in the range of about 130 to 200 DEG C. and the cure being effected over a period of about two to twenty hours. Because of the use of solid resin, in particulate form, together with the resin in liquid state, the neutron absorbing articles made include better bonds between the polymer and the boron carbide particles than would be obtainable by using the normally solid resin only and the phenolic polymer content of the article is greater than that which would be obtainable by a one-step cure effected when the curable phenolic resin is all in the liquid state and the mixture is not held in article form under compacting or pressing pressure. |
