Boron Coating on Complex Substrates via Resin Solution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for coating boron on substrates with complex surface structures or high aspect ratios, such as physical vapor deposition and electrophoresis, are inefficient and not applicable for all substrate types, while chemical vapor deposition has low material utilization and requires extensive time, limiting the development of effective boron-containing neutron detectors.
Innovation Solution
A boron-containing resin solution with a specific ratio of boron powder, resin, and curing agent is applied to substrates, followed by solvent removal and curing, allowing for the formation of a micrometer-sized boron-containing coating layer on both internal and external surfaces, including those with complex structures, using techniques like brush coating or dipping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If physical vapor deposition or electrophoresis is used to coat boron, then coating can be achieved on planar or simple folded surfaces, but these methods are not applicable for substrates with complex surface structures or high aspect ratios
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a resin solution as an intermediary carrier that enables boron particles to be deposited on complex substrate structures. The resin solution penetrates into deep holes and complex surfaces, acting as a medium that transports boron particles to otherwise inaccessible areas, thus resolving the limitation of PVD and electrophoresis methods
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes liquid resin solution to achieve coating, leveraging fluid properties to penetrate and coat complex surface structures. The liquid carrier can flow into deep holes and conformal surfaces, enabling uniform coating distribution that gas-phase or electric-field-based methods cannot achieve
2Adaptability or versatility
If chemical vapor deposition is used to coat boron on complex substrates, then coating can be achieved, but material utilization rate is low and working time is long
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the coating material from gas phase (CVD) to liquid solution phase, and controls the concentration of boron particles in the resin solution to optimize deposition efficiency. This parameter change enables faster coating speed and better material utilization while maintaining applicability to complex substrates
Solution Approach 2:
The resin solution is prepared in advance with optimized concentration and composition, allowing the coating process to proceed rapidly without requiring iterative cycles. The preliminary preparation of the liquid carrier enables direct and efficient deposition on complex surfaces, reducing total working time
3Reliability
If high concentration of resin and curing agent is used in the boron-containing resin solution, then boron powder particles can adhere well to substrate, but the proportion of boron powder decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the concentration parameters of resin, curing agent, and boron powder in the solution to achieve a balanced composition. By controlling the weight ratios and drying conditions, the patent achieves both good adhesion and high boron content in the final coating layer
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enables the efficient and homogeneous application of boron on various substrates, including those with complex shapes, achieving a balanced thickness and application efficiency, suitable for mass production and enhancing the performance of thermal neutron converters.
Implementation Method 1
adhere nanometer-sized boron powder particles onto an internal surfaces and/or an external surfaces of a variety of metallic substrates or non-metallic insulating substrates, to form a micrometer-sized boron-containing coating layer
Implementation Method 2
removing the solvent in the boron-containing resin solution and hardening the resin
Implementation Method 3
hardening the resin, to form a boron-containing coating layer on the surface of the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
The present application relates to a method for coating boron, to a boron-containing resin solution, to a boron-coated thermal neutron converter obtained by the method for coating boron, and further to a thermal neutron detector comprising the boron-coated thermal neutron converter. The method for coating boron as provided in the application is applicable for various substrates and has small restrictions on substrate shapes, particularly for substrates having complex surface structures and high aspect ratios.