Characterization of a new shielding rubber for use in neutron–gamma mixed fields

A variety of formulations was investigated for the fabrication of an appropriate shielding rubber to be used in neutron–gamma mixed fields. Having considered the required mechanical properties together with tungsten as the gamma-ray absorbing element, calculations with MCNPX 2.6 code confirmed that the incorporation of 5 weight percentage (wt%) of boron carbide exhibited the best performance as a thermal neutron absorber. A series of both experimental and simulation results are provided for comparison.