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

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.