Microstructural and Radioactive Shielding Analyses of Alumix-231 and Alumix-231 Reinforced with B₄C/SiC/Al₂O₃ Particles Produced through Hot Pressing

Al2O3, SiC, and B4C (10%) particle-reinforced Alumix-231 matrix composites and nonreinforced Alumix-231 blocks were produced by pressing under uniaxial pressure using the powder metallurgy method. The Archimedes density of the produced samples was analyzed using microstructures (SEM and EDS), powder size analysis, and theoretical (PSD software) and experimental methods (Co-60 and Cs-137 radiation sources). As a result of the theoretical and experimental calculations, the Alumix-231 + 10% B4C composite material showed the lowest shielding feature against ? radiation, while the Alumix-231 + 10% Al2O3 composite material showed the highest shielding feature.