Ceradyne’s BORAL® and BORTEC® MMC products provide market leading performance for neutron absorption in both wet and dry spent nuclear fuel storage and/or transport applications.

BORAL®

Well suited to many neutron absorption applications and with the longest continuous service history of any neutron absorbing material, the BORAL® Composite is used for spent fuel storage pools, dry storage dual-purpose casks, and fresh fuel canisters in the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Since the late 1950’s, BORAL® has been used in research reactors, nuclear power plants, and spent fuel storage systems worldwide. It performs its intended function for very long periods in high gamma and neutron radiation fields, never failing to meet its neutron absorption function.

BORTEC® MMC

Ceradyne manufactures BORTEC® MMC in its Canadian ISO and NQA-1 facility. This is a dense and high thermal conductivity composite to absorb neutrons in both wet and dry nuclear storage applications. BORTEC is extruded and rolled into shapes with B4C contents up to 45% by volume using various aluminum alloys. The resulting composites have outstanding properties for structural or non-structural design applications. They also are lightweight and adaptable for neutron capture in both wet and dry environments.

Ceradyne Quality Program

The Ceradyne ISO 9001:2000 and NQA-1 Quality Program is fully qualified, audited, and approved by many worldwide customers. Ceradyne’s unique advantage is that the company controls the entire value stream in the manufacture of these specialized materials. Whether natural boron carbide from ESK Ceramics or enriched boron from Ceradyne Boron Products, Ceradyne specialists engineer and manufacture neutron absorber materials that meet or exceed stringent end user requirements. Under NQA-1 and ISO programs, Ceradyne Canada provides best-in-class service covering all steps of neutron absorber manufacturing and processing.

Boron Products

Ceradyne Boron Products supplies neutron absorbing and reflecting components in materials utilizing enriched 10Boron and 11Boron isotopes. Ceradyne has produced enriched boron products for more than 40 years. With the largest boron isotope enrichment facility in the world, Ceradyne Boron Products continues to be the leading manufacturer of enriched boron.

To learn more, visit our page on Neutron Absorbing Materials.