Atomic Number (Z) Grade Shielding Materials and Methods of Making Atomic Number (Z) Grade Shielding

Abstract

In some aspects, this disclosure relates to improved Z-grade materials, such as those used for shielding, systems incorporating such materials, and processes for making such Z-grade materials. In some examples, the Z-grade material includes a diffusion zone including mixed metallic alloy material with both a high atomic number material and a lower atomic number material. In certain examples, a process for making Z-grade material includes combining a high atomic number material and a low atomic number material, and bonding the high atomic number material and the low atomic number together using diffusion bonding. The processes may include vacuum pressing material at an elevated temperature, such as a temperature near a softening or melting point of the low atomic number material. In another aspect, systems such as a vault or an electronic enclosure are disclosed, where one or more surfaces of Z-grade material make up part or all of the vault/enclosure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A Z-grade alloy material comprising:
 a high atomic number material; and   a low atomic number material, wherein an atomic number of the low atomic number material is lower than an atomic number of the high atomic number material, and wherein the low atomic number material is bonded to the high atomic number material; and   wherein the Z-grade material comprises a diffusion zone, the diffusion zone comprising a mixed metallic alloy material, the alloy material comprising both the high atomic number material and the lower atomic number material, and wherein the diffusion zone is at least 0.5 mil in thickness.   
     
     
         2 . The Z-grade alloy material of  claim 1 , The Z-grade alloy material of  claim 1 , wherein the diffusion zone is at least 5 mil in thickness. 
     
     
         3 . The Z-grade alloy material of  claim 1 , wherein an areal density of the Z-grade alloy material is at least about 3.0 g/cm 2 , and wherein an overall thickness of the Z-grade alloy material is about 140 mils or less. 
     
     
         4 . The Z-grade alloy material of  claim 1 , wherein the overall thickness of the Z-grade alloy material is about 100 mils or less. 
     
     
         5 . The Z-grade alloy material of  claim 1 , wherein high atomic number material comprises one or more of tantalum, tungsten, or a copper-tungsten alloy, and wherein the low atomic number material comprises one or more of aluminum or titanium. 
     
     
         6 . The Z-grade alloy material of  claim 1 , wherein the Z-grade material further comprises an aluminum layer bonded to the low atomic number material. 
     
     
         7 . The Z-grade alloy material of  claim 1 , wherein the Z-grade material further comprises an aluminum layer bonded to the low atomic number material, wherein an areal density of the Z-grade alloy material is at least about 3.0 g/cm 2 , and wherein an overall thickness of the Z-grade alloy material is about 190 mils or less. 
     
     
         8 . The Z-grade alloy material of  claim 1 , wherein the diffusion zone is a graded metallic alloy. 
     
     
         9 . The Z-grade alloy material of  claim 8 , wherein an additional low atomic number material is diffusion bonded to the graded metallic alloy. 
     
     
         10 . A Z-grade vault comprising one or more surfaces of Z-grade material, the one or more surfaces of Z-grade material comprising a high atomic number material and a low atomic number material, wherein an atomic number of the low atomic number material is lower than an atomic number of the high atomic number material, and wherein the low atomic number material is diffusion bonded to the high atomic number material;
 wherein an areal density of the Z-grade material is at least about 2.5 g/cm 2 , and wherein an overall thickness of the Z-grade alloy material is about 240 mils or less.   
     
     
         11 . The Z-grade vault of  claim 10 , wherein the areal density of the one or more surfaces of Z-grade material is at least about 3.0 g/cm 2 , and wherein the overall thickness of the one or more surfaces of Z-grade material is about 100 mils or less. 
     
     
         12 . The Z-grade vault of  claim 10 , wherein the Z-grade material further comprises an aluminum layer bonded to the low atomic number material, wherein the areal density of the Z-grade alloy material is at least about 3.0 g/cm 2 , and wherein an overall thickness of the Z-grade alloy material is about 190 mils or less. 
     
     
         13 . A process comprising;
 combining a high atomic number material and a low atomic number material, wherein an atomic number of the low atomic number material is lower than an atomic number of the high atomic number material; and   bonding the high atomic number material and the low atomic number together using diffusion bonding to form a Z-grade material.   
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 14 , diffusion bonding comprises vacuum pressing the high atomic number material and the lower atomic number material at an elevated temperature. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 14 , further comprising vacuum pressing the Z-grade material at an elevated temperature. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 15 , wherein the elevated temperature is near a softening or melting point of the low atomic number material. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 14 , further comprising cooling the Z-grade material under vacuum. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the diffusion bonding comprises plasma spraying the low atomic number material onto a sheet of the higher atomic number material. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the diffusion bonding comprises welding the low atomic number material onto a sheet of the higher atomic number material using an electronic beam gun. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the diffusion bonding comprises heating the low atomic number material under an inert atmosphere or a vacuum to its melting temperature, and coating a sheet of the high atomic number material with the melted low atomic number material. 
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the diffusion bonding comprises ultrasonic layering of the low atomic number material onto the high atomic number material.