Borated Polyethylene - For Neutron Shielding

Click here to view the MSDS as a PDF

Our borated polyethylene is used for medical, nuclear and industrial neutron shielding. It is light-weight, cost-effective and durable and can be used for a wide variety of shielding needs. With 5% boron by weight, and purple in colour, our borated polyethylene is effective in many applications. Grade II (yellow, 1% boron) and Grade III (red, 2% boron) are also available. Common usage includes medical vaults and doors for linear particle accelerators and other radiation applications, research applications, nuclear reactors and construction of nuclear-powered vessels.

The Approximate Weight is 160 lbs / 72.57 kg
Sheet Size is 48" x 96" / 1219mm x 2438mm
Custom sheets, blocks and slabs also available.

- 1" x 4' x 8' sheets allow for easy installation
- Made of the finest polymers available
- 1%, 2% or 5% boron content (by weight) or virgin formulas
- high cross-section for consistent neutron attenuation
- can be machined to your specifications
- easily fabricated using standard woodworking tools

If you have a recent project that incorporated our products, we’d like to see it. Please send us photos and descriptions showing our products; your work could be featured as a case study on our website or in our newsletter. Send any materials to sales@marsmetal.com

MarShield Borotron Borated PE

Lightweight, cost effective and easily fabricated.

Key Benefits

-Lightweight and easy to handle compared with alternative shielding materials.

-Easily fabricated.

-Durable over a wider temperature range.

-Consistent density and homogeneity.

-Superior dimensional quality and flatness.

-Strict quality control measures to ensure proper levels of elemental boron as well as material homogeneity.

-Available in 1” x 48” x 96” sheets for simple installation in most applications.

-Supplied in mill shapes, such as sheets, blocks and slabs.

-Can be machined to your specifications.

Borotron ® Borated PE

Borotron ® Borated PE has been used as a medical and industrial shielding material to attenuate and absorb neutron radiation. This easily fabricated polymer material also offers designers greater durability and function over a wider range of temperature than traditional materials.

Borotron ® HD050

Is based on MarShield’s high performance HDPE with 5% elemental boron.

What is Borotron ®

High Density PE for Neutron Shielding.

-HDPE material has a high hydrogen density which slows neutron particles down so they can be absorbed.

-Boron has been added to the material to absorb the slowed neutron particles and significantly reduce byproduct gamma radiation that occurs during absorption.

Common Applications

-Medical vaults and doors for linear particle accelerators and other radiation applications.

-Hot cells.
-Nuclear Storage and transport containers.

-Nuclear detection systems.

-Nuclear reactors and nuclear power plants.

-Construction of nuclear-powered submarine vessels.

-Research and test reactors.

-Large neutron beam line applications.

-High intensity X-rays.

-Shielding for cancer treatment facilities

Note:

Materials with hydrogen density are also used as a component in neutron shielding systems.

If you’re looking for the broadest range of sizes and shapes in unified hydrogen rich material,

MarShield can meet your needs with TIVAR ®1000.

MarShield Borotron HD050

Material Notes:

Borotron ® HD050 is based on a high performance HDPE with 5% elemental boron. Borotron ® has been used as a medical and industrial shielding material to attenuate and absorb neutron radiation. This easily fabricated polymer material also offers designers greater durability and function over a wider range of temperature than traditional materials.

Physical Properties	Metric	English	Comments
Specific Gravity	1.01 g/cc	0.0365 lb/in³	ASTM D792

Mechanical Properties
Hardness, Shore D	71	71	ASTM D2240
Tensile Strength, Ultimate	16.6 MPa	2407 psi	ASTM D638
Elongation at Break	4%	4%	ASTM D638
Tensile Modulus	0.767 GPa	111.215 ksi	ASTM D638
Flexural Modulus	0.873 GPa	126.585 ksi	ASTM D638
Flexural Yield Strength	29.1 MPa	4220 psi	ASTM D638
Compressive Strength	24.5 MPa	3553 psi	10% Def., 73°F; ASTMD695
Compressive Modulus	0.672 GPa	97.44 ksi	ASTM D695
Izod Impact, Notched	0.481 J/cm	0.9 ft-lb/in	ASTM D256

Electrical Properties
Surface Resistivity per Square	Min 1e+012 ohm	Min 1e+012 ohm	ASTM D257

Thermal Properties
CTE, linear 68°	198 µm/m-°C	110 µin/in-°F	(-40°F TO 300°F); ASTM E831
Melting Point	128°C	262 °F	ASTM D3417

All statements, technical information and recommendations contained in this database are presented in good faith, based upon tests believed to be reliable and practical field experience. The reader is cautioned, however that MarShield & its affiliates cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and it is the customer’s responsibility to determine the suitability of the products in any given application.

SECTION 13090 – BORATED POLYETHYLENE

Corporate Manufacturing

4140 Morris Drive 4140 Morris Drive

Burlington, Ontario L7L 5L6 Canada Burlington, Ontario L7L 5L6 Canada

Phone: (800) 381-5335 – Fax: (905) 637-8841

E-mail: sales@ marsmetal.com

PART 1 – GENERAL

Polyethylene is used to attenuate neutrons when no other hydrated barrier material is existing or available. It is used as a medical and industrial shielding material to attenuate and absorb neutron radiation. This easily fabricated polymer material also offers designers greater durability and function over a wider range of temperature than traditional materials.

1.1 ACCEPTABLE MANUFACTURERS

Borated polyethylene shall be manufactured or supplied by MarShield Div. of Mars Metal Company.

1.2 SUBMITTALS

In accordance with conditions of the contract and Division 1, submit six (6) copies of product data sheets for each type of polyethylene sheet.

1.3 PRODUCT HANDLING

Up to 15 sheets or a maximum of 2,250 pounds shall be placed upon a wooden skid and stretched wrapped around all four sides. Three steel bands shall be fastened horizontally and one longitudinally.

PART 2 – PRODUCTS

2.1 5% BORATED POLYETHYLENE

5% borated polyethylene is typically manufactured in 1: thick sheets, 48” wide x 96” long, that is green in colour and weight approximately 150 lbs. per sheet. MarShield offers custom cutting services, as well as machining for close tolerances.

PART 3 - EXECUTION

3.1 EXAMINATION – Inspect all surfaces and verify that they are in proper condition to receive the work of this section.

3.2 PEPARATION – During the operation of work of this section, protect existing work against damage by the exercise of reasonable care and precautions. Repair all existing materials which are damaged by Work of this section, to match original profiles and finishes. Existing materials repaired shall be removed and replaced with new work to match existing.

INSTALLATION – Install all shielding material as dictated by approved shop drawings. Where built-in items penetrate shielding provide additional shielding as required to maintain full continuity of barrier. Touchup shop applied primer.

DIAGNOSTIC RADIATION SHIELDING CONSIDERATIONS

All Lead Radiation Shielding requirements should be calculated and determined by a certified professional radiation health physicist based on the following information.

ENERGY: The end user must determine the output of the X-Ray machine. (KvP). Usually, the higher the output of the machine, the higher the lead shielding requirement.

EXPOSURE: The end-user must determine the exposure per hour, day, week and year and the maximum patient exposure accumulated and projected from radiation exposure, as radiation is cumulative and unnecessary extra exposure can cause biological damage on the cellular level. Each state or province has its own maximum permissible exposure level in addition to natural radiation exposure an average person is exposed to through environmental factors like ultra violet solar, radon gas and atmospheric radiation. Ensure you check with local governing health and safety laws and codes for current compliance requirements.

ORIENTATION/DIRECTION: All wall sections shall be calculated by your physicists in relation to the direction of the primary beam target. (Direction where it is aimed) and scatter or secondary radiation of the x-ray machine, as well as the floor or wall.

DISTANCE: Radiation dissipates as the distance increases; usually the closer a partition is to the radiation / x-ray source, the higher the lead shielding needed.

OCCUPANCY OR ROOM USEAGE: A critical and very important factor in your calculations is the amount of time, per day, a surrounding or adjoining room common to the x-ray room will be occupied and used by your personnel or public. An example would be a simple storage room, which would have a lower use or occupancy factor, compared to a waiting room or office that would have higher use. Therefore, it is calculated room by room for all rooms connected or that are common to the x-ray room. If there is no occupancy potential, then typically no shielding will be specified or required. (I.E. Floor or roof of a single story building with no basement).

CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL: Often a physicist will take into account the existing or the proposed construction materials used or to be used of the wall/partition or flooring material, as heavy density materials can attenuate (shield) radiation to a certain degree, such as concrete, steel, plaster, block or multiple layers of drywall. This may reduce, or in some instances, eliminate your lead shielding requirements, depending on the values of the previous factors to be considered.