Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A shielding material precursor, comprising: a particulate uranium compound selected from the group consisting of uranium dioxide particles and uranium carbide particles and mixtures of uranium dioxide particles and uranium carbide particles; and  a thermosetting polyfunctional resinous binding material. 2. The precursor of  claim 1 , wherein the uranium compound comprises at least 5 weight % of the precursor. claim 1 3. The precursor of  claim 1 , wherein the uranium compound comprises about 55 weight % to 80 weight % of the precursor. claim 1 4. The precursor of  claim 1 , wherein the resinous binding material is a polyimide. claim 1 5. The precursor of  claim 1 , wherein the resinous binding material is a polyamide. claim 1 6. A shielding material precursor, comprising: a particulate uranium compound selected from the group consisting of uranium dioxide particles and uranium carbide particles and mixtures of uranium dioxide particles and uranium carbide particles; and  a resinous binding material, wherein said resinous binding material is polyfunctional. 7. The precursor of  claim 6 , wherein the resin is a polyimide. claim 6 8. The precursor of  claim 6 , wherein the resin is a polyamide. claim 6 9. The precursor of  claim 6  wherein the resin is polyurethane. claim 6 10. A shielding material precursor, comprising: a particulate uranium compound selected from the group consisting of uranium dioxide particles and uranium carbide particles and mixtures of uranium dioxide particles and uranium carbide particles; and  a metal binding material. 11. The precursor of  claim 10 , wherein the metal binding material is selected from the group consisting of copper, zinc, nickel, tin, aluminium, boron, and mixtures thereof. claim 10 12. A shielding material precursor, comprising: a particulate uranium compound selected from the group consisting of uranium dioxide particles and uranium carbide particles and mixtures of uranium dioxide particles and uranium carbide particles; and  a metal-oxide binding material. 13. The precursor of  claim 8 , wherein the metal-oxide is selected from the group consisting of alumina, boric acid, magnesia, silica, hafnia, hematite, magnetite, and zirconia. claim 8 14. The precursor of claims  1 ,  6 ,  10 , or  12  wherein the uranium compound is coated. 15. The precursor of  claim 14  wherein the uranium compound is coated with carbon. claim 14 16. The precursor of claims  1 ,  6 ,  10 , or  12 , wherein the precursor further comprises a shielding additive. 17. The precursor of  claim 16 , wherein the shielding additive comprises up to about 20 weight % of the precursor. claim 16 18. The precursor of  claim 16 , wherein the shielding additive is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, boric acid, sodium borate, gadolinium oxide, halfnium oxide, erbium oxide, and indium oxide. claim 16 19. The precursor of  claim 16 , wherein the shielding additive is steel shot. claim 16 20. The precursor of  claim 16 , wherein the shielding additive is glass beads. claim 16 21. The precursor of claims  1 ,  6 ,  10 , or  12 , wherein the uranium compound particles are microspheres formed by gelation. 22. The precursor of claims  1 ,  6 ,  10 , or  12 , wherein the uranium compound particles have at diameters from about 30 to 2000 microns. 23. The precursor of claims  1 ,  6 ,  10 , or  12 , wherein the diameters of the uranium compound particles are within one of at least two discrete ranges of particle sizes. 24. The precursor of  claim 23 , wherein the first particle size range is from about 300 to 500 microns and the second particle size range is from about 1000 to 1300 microns. claim 23 25. The precursor of claims  1 ,  6 , or  10 , wherein the uranium compound comprises a mixture of uranium dicarbide and uranium dioxide particles. 26. The precursor of  claim 25 , wherein the uranium carbide and uranium dioxide particles are coated. claim 25 27. A precursor of  claim 25 , wherein the uranium dioxide particles are coated. claim 25 28. A precursor of  claim 27 , wherein the uranium carbide particles are coated with carbon. claim 27 29. A precursor of  claim 27 , wherein the uranium dioxide particles are coated with carbon. claim 27 30. The precursor of  claim 25 , wherein the uranium carbide comprises up to 70 weight % of the uranium compound mixture. claim 25 31. A precursor of  claim 30 , wherein the uranium carbide comprises particles having a size range wherein the diameter of the particles is from about 1000 to 1300 microns and wherein the uranium dioxide comprises particles have a size range wherein the diameter of the particles is from about 300 to 500 microns. claim 30 32. A method for forming a monolithic shielding material, comprising: combining a particulate uranium compound, a metal oxide binder, and water to form a mixture;  curing the mixture at a sufficient temperature and pressure to form a monolithic shielding material. 33. The method of  claim 32 , wherein water comprises up to about 40 weight % of the mixture. claim 32 34. The method of  claim 32 , wherein the mixture is cured at ambient temperature and pressure. claim 32 35. The method of  claim 32 , wherein the mixture is cured by heating the mixture. claim 32 36. The method of  claim 35 , wherein the mixture is cured by heating the mixture at a temperature from about 100xc2x0 C. to about 400xc2x0 C. claim 35 37. The method of claims  32  or  35 , wherein curing the mixture further includes applying pressure to the mixture. 38. The method of  claim 32 , wherein curing the mixture is cured at a pressure up to about 20 atmospheres. claim 32 39. The method of  claim 32 , wherein curing the mixture further includes providing a combustible material in proximity to the mixture and heating the mixture whereby the combustible wall is consumed. claim 32 40. A method for forming a monolithic shielding material, comprising: combining a particulate uranium compound selected from the group consisting of uranium dioxide particles and uranium carbide particles and mixtures of uranium dioxide particles and uranium carbide particles and a metal binder to form a precursor mixture; and  curing the mixture at a sufficient temperature and pressure to form a monolithic shielding material. 41. The method of  claim 40 , wherein the mixture is cured by heating. claim 40 42. The method of  claim 41 , wherein the mixture is cured by heating the mixture at a temperature from about 400 to 1000xc2x0 C. claim 41 43. The method of  claim 41 , wherein the mixture is cured by induction heating. claim 41 44. The method of claims  40  or  41 , wherein curing the mixture further includes applying pressure to the mixture. 45. The method of  claim 40 , wherein the mixture is cured at a pressure up to about 20 atmospheres. claim 40 46. A method for forming a monolithic shielding material, comprising melting a metal binding material;  adding a particulate uranium compound selected from the group consisting of uranium dioxide particles and uranium carbide particles and mixtures of uranium dioxide particles and uranium carbide particles to the melted binder to form a mixture;  cooling the mixture to form a monolithic shielding material. 47. The method of  claim 46 , wherein the metal binding material is selected from the group consisting of copper, zinc, nickel, boron and mixtures thereof. claim 46 48. A method for forming a monolithic shielding material, comprising combining a particulate uranium compound particulate uranium compound selected from the group consisting of uranium dioxide particles and uranium carbide particles and mixtures of uranium dioxide particles and uranium carbide particles and a thermosetting polyfunctional resin binder to form a precursor mixture; and  curing the mixture at a sufficient temperature and pressure to form a monolithic shielding material at ambient temperature and pressure. 49. The method of  claim 48 , wherein the mixture is cured by heating. claim 48 50. The method of  claim 49 , wherein the mixture is cured by heating the mixture at a temperature from about 400 to 600xc2x0 C. claim 49 51. The method of  claim 49 , wherein the mixture is cured by induction heating. claim 49 52. The method of claims  48 ,  49 , or  50 , wherein curing the mixture further includes applying pressure to the mixture. 53. The method of  claim 52 , wherein the mixture is cured by applying a pressure up to about 20 atmospheres. claim 52 54. A method for forming a monolithic shielding material, comprising: combining a particulate uranium compound selected from the group consisting of uranium dioxide particles and uranium carbide particles and mixtures of uranium dioxide particles and uranium carbide particles and a polyfunctional resin binder to from a precursor mixture; and  curing the mixture at a sufficient temperature and pressure to form a monolithic shielding material. 55. The method of  claim 54 , wherein the mixture is cured by heating. claim 54 56. The method of  claim 55 , wherein the mixture is cured by heating the mixture at a temperature from about 400 to 600xc2x0 C. claim 55 57. The method of  claim 55 , wherein the mixture is cured by induction heating. claim 55 58. The method of claims  54 ,  55 ,  56  or  57 , wherein curing the mixture further includes applying pressure to the mixture. 59. The method of claims  54 ,  55 ,  56 , or  57 , wherein curing the mixture further includes applying a pressure up to about 20 atmospheres. 60. A monolithic shielding material, comprising: a pyrolized uranium compound selected from the group consisting of uranium dioxide particles and uranium carbide particles and mixtures of uranium dioxide particles and uranium carbide particles,  and a thermosetting polyfunctional resinous binding material. 61. A monolithic shielding material, comprising: a pyrolized uranium compound and a metal binding material, said uranium compound being selected from the group consisting of uranium dioxide particles and uranium carbide particles and mixtures of uranium dioxide particles and uranium carbide particles. 62. A monolithic shielding material, comprising a pyrolized uranium compound and a metal oxide binding material. 63. A shielding material precursor comprising: a particulate uranium compound selected from the group consisting of uranium dioxide particles and uranium carbide particles and mixtures of uranium dioxide particles and uranium carbide particles; and  a binding material selected from the group consisting of a thermosetting polyfunctional resinous binding material, metal binding material, and metal oxide binding material; and  wherein the binding material constitutes up to 95 weight % of the precursor material. 64. The shielding material precursor of  claim 63  wherein the binding material constitutes 20-45 weight % of the precursor and the particulate uranium compound constitutes 55-80 weight % of the precursor material. claim 63