Patent ID: 8187720

Claim:
A method of forming a corrosion resistant neutron absorbing coating on a spent nuclear fuel support structure for storage of spent nuclear fuel for a period as short as 10,000 years and as long as 300,000 years, comprising the steps of: providing an amorphous metal alloy that includes a concentration of yttrium (≧1 atomic %), chromium (10 to 20 atomic %), molybdenum (≧5 atomic %), tungsten additions (≧1 atomic %), and boron (≦10 atomic %), providing a neutron-absorbing material, combining said amorphous metal alloy and said neutron-absorbing material into a coating spray of said amorphous metal alloy and said neutron-absorbing material, positioning the spent nuclear fuel support structure and said coating spray in a position where said coating spray is directed onto the spent nuclear fuel support structure, spray processing the spent nuclear fuel support structure using coating spray of said amorphous metal alloy and said neutron-absorbing material by cold spray deposition or thermal spray deposition of said amorphous metal alloy and said neutron absorbing material on the spent nuclear fuel support structure thereby producing a homogenous metallic alloy that contains said amorphous metal alloy and said neutron-absorbing material on the spent nuclear fuel support structure for storage of spent nuclear fuel for a period as short as 10,000 years and as long as 300,000 years, including the step of providing moderator materials carbon, or carbides or hydrogen isotopes or hydrides formed from hydrogen isotopes and wherein said step of spray processing the spent nuclear fuel support structure using coating spray of said amorphous metal alloy and said neutron-absorbing material by cold spray deposition or thermal spray deposition includes the addition of said moderator materials carbon, or carbides or hydrogen isotopes or hydrides formed from hydrogen isotopes on the spent nuclear fuel support structure.