In this study, samples of neutron shielding based on plastic composite materials with boron-containing powder with a relative mass fraction of 25-37%, manufactured using the FDM method (layer-by-layer deposition of polymer) are investigated. ABS and PETG plastics are used as matrix materials, while boron-containing fillers are powders of boron nitride and amorphous boron.

According to the results of neutron transmission measurements on the monochromatic beam of the IR-8 reactor, the introduction of boron into plastic makes it possible to reduce the neutron penetration depth by a factor of 2.3-4.6: from 3.0 mm for a plastic sample without boron, to 0.65 mm for a sample with amorphous boron powder.

Mechanical tensile and bending tests demonstrate the embrittlement of composite materials upon the introduction of boron-containing powders. In tests of the samples with boron, the strength decreases by 40-55%, and the destruction of the samples occurs without plastic deformation, whereas in the samples of ABS and PETG plastics, the areas of plastic deformations in the test diagrams occupy a significant part.