Neutron attenuation performance of EPDM rubber with BN Nanoparticles/B2O3 composite and studying physical, thermal and mechanical properties

Abstract

The current study has focused on evolving materials with high attenuation performance and vigorous mechanical properties. Nano hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) has been synthesized from boric acid and urea and then heated at a low temperature. XRD, SEM, EDX-mapping images, and FTIR investigated the nano h-BN synthesized and boron oxide (B2O3) milled. The new nanocomposites based on ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM), different concentrations of h-BN NPs, and B₂O₃ have been prepared. The physical, mechanical, and thermal properties and neutron attenuation behavior of nanocomposites were characterized. The shielding properties were determined by measuring the fast neutrons and total gamma-ray attenuation coefficients of the ²³⁹Pu-α-⁹Be neutron source. It was seen that adding a coupling agent (maleic anhydride) was appropriate for improving interfacial adhesions between EPDM chains and the nanofiller h-BN and B₂O₃ compared to EPDM unloaded. From the results, we observe that EPDM loaded with nano h-BN and nano h-BN/B₂O₃ was noticeably boosted over that of the unloaded EPDM for tensile strength (TS), EPDM/nano h-BN/B₂O₃ had a high TS at a concentration of 3 % h-BN/10 % B₂O₃ (42 %) compared with unloaded EPDM. Moreover, EPDM/3 % h-BN and EPDM/3 % h-BN/10 % B₂O₃ had the highest thermal stability until 490 °C compared to unloaded EPDM is stable at 350 °C. Finally, the maximum macroscopic effective shielding behaviors and removal cross-section are estimated by incorporating h-BN 3 % into EPDM.