Ionizing radiation shielding properties of metal oxide impregnated conformal coatings

Conformal coatings provide environmental protection for sensitive military electronics. Preliminary MCNP6® modeling of metal oxide impregnated acrylic conformal coatings indicates a factor of 300 reduction in gammas below 10 keV and up to a 225% reduction in neutron displacement damage to Si-based electronics across the Watt spectrum. This work provides data which can allow an optimal overall shielding worth per total mass to be evaluated. •Inclusion of metal oxides in low-Z conformal coats improves 10 keV photon shielding.•High metal oxide %mass compositions reduce neutron displacement damage by 200%.•Gd2O3 was the most promising shielding per unit mass and cost studied.