Messi Biology states that around nuclear power plants, nuclear medicine departments, or research reactors, protecting against radiation is the top priority. There are many types of radiation, and among them, neutron radiation, due to its strong penetrating power and its characteristic of inducing radioactivity in materials, requires specialized shielding. The combination of magnesium oxide and boron-containing substances (such as boron carbide B₄C or boric acid H₃BO₃) forms an efficient and practical neutron shielding material.
Neutron shielding follows the two-step principle of “moderation” and “absorption.” First, light elements (such as hydrogen) are needed to slow down high-energy fast neutrons into low-energy thermal neutrons; then, elements with a huge absorption cross-section for thermal neutrons (such as Boron-10, Gadolinium, Cadmium, etc.) are used to capture them.
Magnesium oxide plays multiple roles in this composite system:
- Matrix and Moderator: The oxygen and magnesium in the magnesium oxide crystal are both relatively light elements and possess a certain neutron moderating capability. More importantly, as a stable, inert inorganic material, it serves as an excellent matrix carrier for mixing and forming boron compounds.
- Structural Enhancer: It provides the material’s structural strength, high-temperature resistance, and stability, allowing the shielding panels or blocks to be reliably used for a long time.
- Synergistic Shielding: Magnesium itself also has a certain absorption capacity for neutrons, and combining strongly with boron enhances the overall shielding efficiency. Furthermore, its presence also provides a certain degree of shielding against gamma rays.
Magnesium oxide used for radiation shielding does not blindly pursue ultimate purity, but its chemical composition and uniformity must be strictly controllable to ensure uniform and predictable shielding performance. Hebei Messi Biology Co., Ltd. can provide magnesium oxide of specific specifications with stable composition and matching particle size according to customer needs, ensuring it can be uniformly mixed with boron compounds to produce neutron shielding materials with reliable performance and long service life, thus building a solid barrier for safeguarding worker safety and environmental health.