Abstract Currently, radiation-shielding cement used in nuclear power plants primarily includes boron-containing cement, barium cement, and strontium cement. Conventional boron-containing cement is typically produced by incorporating boron oxides or minerals followed by grinding, but it often suffers from high density, susceptibility to segregation and cracking, and unstable performance. Barium and strontium cements require sintering temperatures exceeding 1 550 ℃, resulting in high energy consumption, and they only shield γ-ray and X-rays without effectively moderating or absorbing neutrons, thus offering limited protection. This study introduces both boron, which provides neutron shielding, and barium, which shields γ/X-rays, into calcium sulfoaluminate minerals. The influence of boron and barium on the mineral structure of calcium sulfoaluminate was investigated, along with the mechanical and radiation shielding properties. The results show that with the addition of 0.75 B2O3 and 0.8 BaO, a boron-barium composite calcium sulfoaluminate sample sintered at 1 350℃ achieved a 7-day compressive strength of 59.56 MPa and a flexural strength of 9.57 MPa in mortar specimens. The shielding capabilities against γ-rays and neutrons were improved by 40.00% and 33.33%, respectively, compared to pure calcium sulfoaluminate.
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Published: 28 February 2026
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2026, Vol. 0 
