Rapid 3DShield Boron Carbide Filament

Overview

Print non-toxic thermal-neutron shielding on the FFF printer you already have. Rapid 3DShield Boron Carbide is 50–60% boron carbide in a PLA-based binder. Parts absorb neutrons straight off the print bed, with no debinding, sintering or machining.

Spools: 1.75mm and 2.85mm diameters in 0.25kg and 0.5kg weights

Works with virtually any open-architecture 3D printer—no proprietary hardware or specialized equipment required. Also compatible with 3D printing pens.

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Boron carbide sinters at about 1,956 °C (3,553 °F), beyond most furnaces. Neutron absorption comes from the boron content, so parts are used in their green state.

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All print just like PLA on most open-architecture 3D printers.

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❓ Can I print this on my printer?

✅ Almost certainly. It works on nearly all open-architecture FFF/FDM printers with a 0.6 mm hardened steel nozzle.

✅ No. It is designed to be used as printed.

❓ Does it block gamma rays or X-rays?

✅ Not well. Boron and carbon are light elements. Use Rapid 3DShield Tungsten for photons.

Highlights

• Print with a 0.6mm hardened steel, standard flow nozzle
• Prints similar to PLA
• Minimal to no warping
• Ensure the filament feeds straight into the extruder
• Less hygroscopic than PLA
• Do not dry this filament—drying will degrade the binder
• Neutron detector shielding
• Liners, masks and collimators
• Beamline, sample-environment and neutron-imaging fixtures
• Prototyping
• Research
• One-off and short-run manufacturing