Synthesis, microstructure, and formation mechanism of a potential neutron shielding material: WAlB

doi:10.1016/j.jmst.2022.03.013

Abstract

Dongya Zhang, Peter Richardson, Meng Wang, Hanjun Tu, Cong Li, Linping He, Haibin Zhang, Liqun Shi. Synthesis, microstructure, and formation mechanism of a potential neutron shielding material: WAlB[J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2022, 126: 127-131.

Figures/Tables 9

Fig. 1. Cu-Kα XRD pattern and Rietveld refinement of the hot-pressed sample resulting from the reaction WB + 1.3Al conducted at 700 °C for 7.5 h under 40 MPa of pressure. The red line represents the Rietveld refinement model, black dots represent XRD data, the green line represents the difference plot, and vertical bars represent reflection markers for (from top to bottom): WAlB (No.04-021-4777), WB (No. 35-0738), WAl5 (No. 65-4779), and WAl12 (No. 65-1786).

Fig. 2. (a) HRTEM image of WAlB along the [100] zone axis. Insert shows SAED pattern along the [100] zone axis (top right); (b) Crystal structure of WAlB viewed on the (100) plane.

Fig. 3. Raman spectrum of WAlB sample recorded at room temperature with the 532 nm excitation line of an Ar+ laser.

Table 1. Calculated (GGA) wavenumber, ωcalc in cm-1, and experimentally observed positions, and symmetry assignment of the Raman modes in WAlB.

Empty Cell	B_1g	B_3g	A_g	B_3g	B_1g	A_g	B_1g	A_g	B_3g
ω_exp	131	144	189	352	371	404	474	627	738
ω_calc	131	150	186	352	365	407	477	644	753

Fig. 4. SEM images of the surface of the hot-pressed sample resulting from the reaction WB + 1.3Al conducted at 700 °C for 7.5 h under 40 MPa of pressure. (a) low magnification image to show relative phase fractions and (b) phase identification based on EDS and XRD analysis.

Fig. 5. Rietveld refinement based on XRD patterns of the samples from the reaction WB + 1.3Al at 700 °C.

Table 2. Total energy difference (ΔE) per formula unit and per mol of products at 0 K.

Reaction	ΔE (eV)	ΔE (kJ/mol)
WB+Al→WAlB	-0.37	-35.71
WB+5Al→WAl5+B	-0.28	-27.02
WB+12Al→WAl12+B	-0.30	-28.95

Fig. 6. (a) Gamma-ray transmission coefficients for shielding materials with various thicknesses and (b) gamma-ray spectra of shielding materials with a thickness of 5 cm under 7.25 MeV gamma-ray irradiation.

Table 3. Linear attenuation coefficients of selected materials under gamma-ray irradiation with different energies.

Material	7.25 MeV	1.25 MeV	0.48 MeV
SS316L	0.1700	0.2700	0.4360
MoAlB	0.1420	0.2210	0.3980
Mo_0.5W_0.5AlB	0.2290	0.3330	0.7810
WAlB	0.3140	0.4400	1.1790
WB	0.4790	0.6300	1.7780
WC	0.4880	0.6580	1.8350

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