US 11,724,834 B2
Atomic number (Z) grade shielding materials and methods of making atomic number (Z) grade shielding
Donald L. Thomsen, III, Yorktown, VA (US); Sankara N. Sankaran, Yorktown, VA (US); and Joel A. Alexa, Hampton, VA (US)
Assigned to UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA, Washington, DC (US)
Filed by UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA, Washington, DC (US)
Filed on Feb. 16, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/176,710.
Application 17/176,710 is a continuation of application No. 16/385,643, filed on Apr. 16, 2019, granted, now 10,919,650.
Application 16/385,643 is a continuation of application No. 15/225,279, filed on Aug. 1, 2016, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/368,248, filed on Jul. 29, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/240,604, filed on Oct. 13, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/199,032, filed on Jul. 30, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2021/0188464 A1, Jun. 24, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B64G 1/58 (2006.01); B32B 15/01 (2006.01); C23C 4/134 (2016.01); C23C 4/137 (2016.01); C22C 14/00 (2006.01); B64G 1/54 (2006.01); C23C 4/08 (2016.01); C23C 28/02 (2006.01); G21F 1/12 (2006.01)
CPC B64G 1/58 (2013.01) [B32B 15/017 (2013.01); B64G 1/543 (2013.01); B64G 1/546 (2013.01); C22C 14/00 (2013.01); C23C 4/08 (2013.01); C23C 4/134 (2016.01); C23C 4/137 (2016.01); C23C 28/028 (2013.01); G21F 1/12 (2013.01); G21F 1/125 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising a Z-grade material having multiple layers, the Z-grade material comprising:
a first layer of a first material having a higher atomic number;
a second layer of a second material having a lower atomic number; and
a third layer of a third material, wherein the third layer:
is comprised of an alloy of the first and second materials;
is positioned between the first and second layers;
is at least 0.5 mil in thickness; and
a density of material in the third layer increases along a gradient along a distance between the first layer to the second layer.