Skip to content 
Borated Polyethylene – The Ultimate Solution for Effective Neutron Shielding
Borated polyethylene is a high-performance material designed for effective neutron radiation shielding. It is widely used in nuclear power plants, medical equipment, laboratories, and radiation protection. Made from high-density polyethylene mixed with boron compounds (typically boron carbide), this material provides superior neutron absorption and durability.
We offer products in various boron content levels (5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 30%) and forms, including sheets, rods, and pellets. With excellent machinability, our borated polyethylene can be customized to meet specific requirements, including cutting and drilling.
Our products meet international quality standards and are trusted by many leading clients. With advanced production and strict quality control, we ensure reliable neutron shielding solutions.
Boron Content Options to Match Your Shielding Needs
YASU Borated polyethylene are available with customizable boron content to meet specific neutron shielding requirements. We offer a range of boron content from 5% to 30%, ensuring the ideal balance of protection and performance for your unique project needs.
5% Borated Polyethylene
This grade contains 5% boron by weight, offering effective neutron shielding for applications with moderate radiation exposure. It provides a balance between shielding performance and material cost, making it suitable for general neutron shielding needs in medical and research environments.
10% Borated Polyethylene
With 10% boron content, this product enhances neutron absorption capacity, ideal for environments with higher neutron flux. It is widely used in nuclear power plants and radiation therapy rooms, providing reliable protection in moderate to high radiation zones.
15% Borated Polyethylene
The 15% boron composition offers improved neutron attenuation, making it ideal for use in facilities with significant neutron radiation exposure, such as particle accelerators and nuclear research laboratories. Its higher boron content ensures superior protection.
20% Borated Polyethylene
This grade contains 20% boron, maximizing neutron absorption and shielding efficiency. It is suitable for critical environments with intense neutron flux, providing robust protection in both industrial and defense applications requiring advanced radiation shielding.
30% Borated Polyethylene
Containing 30% boron, this product offers the highest level of neutron shielding among standard borated polyethylene grades. It is designed for extreme radiation environments, such as nuclear reactors and high-energy particle facilities, where maximum protection is required.
Pure Polyethylene
Pure polyethylene does not contain boron, and is primarily used in applications where neutron shielding is not required. It retains all the material benefits of polyethylene, such as high chemical resistance and durability, making it ideal for industrial use in non-radiation environments.
Explore Our Borated Polyethylene Product Forms
Choose from a range of borated polyethylene forms, including sheets, rods, and pellets, to meet your specific neutron shielding needs. In addition to standard forms, we offer custom machined parts based on your drawings, providing tailored solutions for unique applications. Whether you require large panels for structural shielding or precision components, we have the capabilities to deliver exactly what your project demands.
Borated Polyethylene Sheets
These sheets are ideal for structural neutron shielding applications, available in standard or custom sizes. Commonly used for walls, floors, and shielding barriers in environments like nuclear facilities and medical radiation rooms. Customization options include thickness, dimensions, and boron content to suit your specific requirements.
Borated Polyethylene Rod
Borated polyethylene rods are perfect for constructing shielding components and support structures. These durable rods can be customized in terms of diameter and length, offering excellent neutron absorption for use in industrial and research applications where both mechanical support and radiation protection are necessary.
Borated Polyethylene Pellets
Our pellets are designed for further processing or filling purposes in a variety of shielding applications. These versatile pellets can be used to create custom components or combined with other materials to enhance neutron shielding properties. They are ideal for manufacturing and fabrication environments.
Custom Machined Borated Polyethylene Parts
We offer custom machined borated polyethylene parts based on your drawings and specifications. Whether for complex shielding structures or precision components, we provide tailored solutions to meet the highest standards in neutron shielding performance. Our machining capabilities ensure each part is made to your exact requirements.
Specialized Borated Polyethylene Products
Explore our specialized borated polyethylene products, designed for unique applications that require more than just neutron shielding. From flame-retardant grades to lead-enhanced solutions, each product is engineered to meet specific industry demands. Whether you need high fire resistance, mixed radiation protection, or high hydrogen content for neutron moderation, we offer solutions that go beyond traditional borated polyethylene.
Flame-Retardant Borated Polyethylene
This grade combines borated polyethylene with fire-retardant additives, offering enhanced fire safety while maintaining effective neutron shielding. Ideal for environments that require both radiation protection and fire resistance, such as nuclear power plants and research facilities.
Lead-Loaded Boron Polyethylene
This product combines boron-containing polyethylene with lead to provide dual protection against both neutron and gamma radiation. It is widely used in environments that require robust shielding from mixed radiation fields, such as nuclear material storage and transportation.
Pure Polyethylene
Although it contains no boron, pure polyethylene has a high hydrogen content, making it effective at slowing down neutrons. It is commonly used in conjunction with other shielding materials to enhance neutron moderation.
Features & Advantages of Borated Polyethylene
Our borated polyethylene is specially designed for neutron shielding, offering a range of unique benefits that make it ideal for radiation protection applications. Here are its key features and advantages, highlighting why it outperforms traditional neutron shielding materials:
Efficient Neutron Shielding
Contains 5% to 30% boron, highly effective in absorbing high-energy neutrons, reducing radiation levels in various environments.
High Hydrogen Content
Composed of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) with approximately 13% hydrogen, enhancing neutron moderation and shielding efficiency.
Lightweight Design
Density of about 1 g/cm³, making it significantly lighter than traditional materials like lead or concrete, easy to transport and install.
Various Boron Content Options
Available in 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 30% boron content, offering flexibility to meet specific shielding needs.
Superior Mechanical Properties
Made from UHMW-PE, offering excellent wear resistance and impact strength, suitable for long-term use in harsh environments.
Easy to Process and Customize
Can be cut, drilled, and shaped as per customer requirements, adaptable for various shielding structures.
Applications & Benefits of Borated Polyethylene
Our borated polyethylene provides essential neutron shielding across a wide range of applications. Here’s how it benefits different industries:
Nuclear Power Plants & Reactors
Used for neutron shielding to protect personnel and equipment, effectively reducing neutron radiation, meeting industry standards, and minimizing operational risks.
Laboratories & Particle Accelerators
Ideal for use in shielding walls, floors, and equipment in research labs and particle accelerators, providing a safe working environment for researchers and protecting delicate instruments.
Medical Radiation Therapy
Used in radiation therapy rooms and equipment to block unwanted neutron radiation, ensuring the safety of healthcare workers and patients during treatment procedures.
Radiation Protection Barriers
Ideal for manufacturing mobile radiation protection barriers and shielding panels. Its lightweight design allows for easy transport and deployment, catering to diverse protection needs.
Nuclear Material Storage & Transport
Used in containers and storage facilities for nuclear materials, ensuring safe transportation and reducing radiation leakage risk, compliant with nuclear material management standards.
Aerospace & Defense
Provides protection for sensitive electronics in aerospace and defense equipment from neutron radiation, ensuring system stability and operational success.
Specifications & Customization Options
Our borated polyethylene products are available in a range of standard specifications and can be fully customized to meet your specific requirements. Below are the standard options, as well as a customization tool to configure your ideal product.
- Boron Content: 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 30%
- Thickness: 10mm, 20mm, 30mm, 50mm, 100mm, 120mm, 150mm, 200mm (Customizable)
- Sheet Size: 1000mm x 2000mm, 1200mm x 2400mm, 1500mm x 3000mm (Custom sizes available)
- Color: Typically black due to the color of boron carbide. Custom colors are available upon request, using boron trioxide (B₂O₃) as the boron source.
Strict Quality Control Process
To ensure the superior quality of every borated polyethylene sheet we produce, we implement a comprehensive quality inspection process throughout production:
Accurate Measurement: We use high-precision instruments to ensure each sheet meets exact specifications for dimensions and thickness.
Surface Check: Every sheet is inspected for a smooth, defect-free surface, ensuring optimal shielding performance.
Boron Uniformity: Advanced methods guarantee even distribution of boron for reliable neutron shielding.
Batch Inspection: Each production batch undergoes sampling inspection to maintain consistent quality standards.
Third-Party Testing Reports
To ensure the quality and reliability of our borated polyethylene products, we collaborate with reputable third-party testing agencies for comprehensive certification:
Boron Content Verification: Detailed reports confirming the boron content’s consistency and uniformity for optimal shielding.
Density and Dimensional Accuracy: Independent verification of product density and dimensions, ensuring they meet the highest standards for performance.
Available on Request: Complete third-party reports are available to customers upon request, providing full transparency and confidence in our product quality.
Trusted By
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Here are some common questions about borated polyethylene to help you better understand our products and services. If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact us.
What is borated polyethylene?
Borated polyethylene is a high-performance material used for neutron radiation shielding. It’s made from polyethylene combined with boron compounds (such as boron carbide), effectively slowing and absorbing neutrons by combining the high hydrogen content of polyethylene with the neutron absorption properties of boron. It’s commonly used in nuclear power plants, radiation labs, and medical radiation protection. materials, particle accelerators, and aerospace and defense equipment to protect against neutron radiation
What is the composition of borated polyethylene?
Borated polyethylene is composed of a polyethylene base with added boron compounds, typically in the form of boron carbide (B₄C). The boron content usually ranges from 5% to 30%, providing effective neutron absorption for radiation shielding applications.
What is borated polyethylene used for?
Borated polyethylene is primarily used for neutron shielding in nuclear power plants, research laboratories, medical facilities, and radiation therapy rooms. It is also applied in storage and transport of nuclear materials, particle accelerators, and aerospace and defense equipment to protect against neutron radiation
What is the operating temperature range of borated polyethylene?
Borated polyethylene can operate effectively in temperatures ranging from -200°C to +80°C. It can withstand short-term exposure to temperatures above 80°C without significant impact on its properties.
What boron content options do you provide?
We offer borated polyethylene with 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 30% boron content. The boron content can be customized to suit your specific application requirements.
Can I customize the size and thickness of the sheets?
Yes, we can customize the size and thickness of the borated polyethylene sheets according to your requirements. The standard thickness range is from 5mm to 100mm, and sheet sizes can be tailored to your needs.
What is the maximum sheet size you can produce?
The maximum standard sheet size is 2440mm x 6100mm. Custom sizes can be discussed based on your specific needs.
What is the maximum thickness you can produce for custom sheets?
We can produce sheets with a maximum thickness of up to 200mm, depending on the specific requirements.
What is the density of your borated polyethylene sheets?
The density of our borated polyethylene sheets is approximately 1 g/cm³, making it significantly lighter than traditional shielding materials, which facilitates transportation and installation.
Can the color of the borated polyethylene sheets be customized?
Typically, the color is black due to the grayish-black color of boron carbide. However, other colors can be customized by using boron trioxide (B₂O₃) as the boron source.
Is borated polyethylene flammable?
Borated polyethylene, like regular polyethylene, is combustible but can be made flame-retardant by adding flame-retardant additives during manufacturing. Standard borated polyethylene may ignite if exposed to high temperatures or direct flames. For applications requiring enhanced fire resistance, flame-retardant grades of borated polyethylene are available, which include additives to reduce flammability and meet specific safety standards.
How do you ensure the uniform distribution of boron in the polyethylene sheets?
We use advanced mixing and molding techniques to achieve consistent boron distribution throughout the sheet.
Is borated polyethylene easy to machine?
Yes, it can be cut, drilled, and shaped using standard tools, but carbide-tipped tools are recommended for best results.
Does YASU provide machining services for borated polyethylene products?
Yes, YASU offers machining services for borated polyethylene products. We can cut, drill, shape, and customize the sheets according to your specifications, ensuring they meet the requirements of your specific application.
Can borated polyethylene sheets be layered to increase shielding efficiency?
Yes, stacking multiple sheets can enhance shielding, though proper alignment is necessary to ensure maximum neutron absorption.
How can I place an order or request a quote?
You can use the Customization Tool on our website to select your required specifications or contact us directly through the contact form. After you submit your requirements, we will provide a detailed quote within 24 hours.
What is the delivery time for the sheets?
The delivery time depends on the product specifications and order quantity. Typically, standard sheets can be delivered within 7-14 days after placing an order. Please contact us for an exact delivery timeline.
