With Boron-enriched mortar 075 and Polybore HE, both tested on the ITER program, Lemer Pax is launching a new generation of “Golden Material” patented and designed for both nuclear fission and fusion. This new range of materials combines high hydrogen quality, excellent neutron efficiency, low density, and strong fire resistance.

Discover these materials of the future designed by Lemer Pax, a pioneer in radiation protection.

Tomorrow’s nuclear industry is also built on its materials

Fission, fusion, new SMR reactors, decommissioning: the nuclear landscape is being transformed, and radiation protection requirements are changing along with it. Every facility — whether in operation, in design, or in scientific demonstration — must incorporate, from the outset, solutions capable of containing ionizing radiation even in the smallest spaces, without compromising safety, performance, or structural mass control. Designing the energy of tomorrow therefore also means designing the protection that makes it possible.

It is with this in mind that Lemer Pax has spent several years developing a new generation of neutron-absorbing materials, designed to meet the sector’s most demanding constraints: high hydrogen content to slow neutrons, boron loading to capture them, fire resistance, and low density to suit even the most sensitive structures. This approach is a very concrete illustration of what the motto “Protecting Life” means at the very heart of tomorrow’s nuclear facilities.

Borated mortar 075 and Polybore HE: Lemer Pax’s “Golden Materials”

This expertise led to the creation of the Novashield® HE (High Efficiency) range, with two patented products embodying genuine technological innovation: Boron-enriched mortar 075 and Polybore HE. Hydrogenated, neutron-absorbing, and fire-resistant, these materials were designed to meet the full range of needs in the nuclear sector, whether for fixed installations or onboard systems, and whether intended for fission or fusion applications. What they have in common: they retain their radiation-shielding performance even in the event of a fire — a rare guarantee for this type of solution.

Nuclear fusion: Lemer Pax supports the ITER challenge

It was the ITER program, in Saint-Paul-lès-Durance, that gave Lemer Pax the opportunity to demonstrate the reach of this innovation on a global scale. ITER’s nuclear safety department had set particularly demanding specifications: strengthen neutron and gamma radiation protection in the rooms housing sensitive electronic equipment located above the tokamak, while meeting strict mass constraints and excellent fire resistance. It was a delicate equation, one that Lemer Pax’s teams solved by developing a novel formulation with high hydrogen content and low density.

A world first was achieved in early 2026 : 48 m³ of Boron-enriched mortar 075 were poured in a 20-centimeter layer across two rooms in the Tokamak building, providing lasting protection for the instrumentation housed there. This exceptional project — materials transported by crane and then pumped roughly a hundred meters to the rooms requiring protection — illustrates Lemer Pax’s ability to support the world’s largest scientific projects with tailor-made, robust, and proven solutions.

Expertise serving tomorrow’s nuclear industry

The ITER example extends well beyond fusion alone : it lays the groundwork for a new approach to radiation protection, one capable of adapting to future reactors, new fuel cycles, and major international scientific projects. By combining neutron performance, fire safety, and mass control, Boron-enriched mortar 075 and Polybore HE demonstrate that materials innovation is, in its own right, a pillar of tomorrow’s nuclear safety.

Lemer Pax invites you to join us from September 16 to 18, 2026, in Cherbourg, for the ATSR conference dedicated to the nuclear industry of the future and radiation protection. It will be an opportunity to talk with our teams about these new generations of materials and their applications.

Discover all our innovations in advanced materials.