Stainless steel: a corrosion-resistant radiation protection metal
Stainless steels are non-combustible and have good temperaturebehaviour, with a melting point higher than 1,420°C, giving them amajor advantage over lead. As a result, they have the best fire resistance of all metallic materials. Stainless steels are also highly resistant to corrosion.
The most common grades are austenitic stainless steels 304L (Z2CN18-10) and 316L (Z2 CND17-12).
For fasteners, the common names are A2 and A4 stainless steel (A2for grade 304L, A4 for grade 316L).
Used for welding and machining, stainless steels are ideal formaking shielding screens such as stationary or moving mechanicalparts.
They are often used for containment walls in contact with theradioactive source.
Stainless steel: Radiation protection properties
Stainless steels have excellent resistance to gamma radiation.
However, under neutron flux, they produce capture gamma rays,with energies between 1 and 10 MeV, and activate at highly variablelevels depending on the level of impurities (presence of Mn, CO,Ti, etc.).
Under very high neutron flux, the transition temperature(brittle fracture / ductile fracture) also increases.
