boron 10 isotope has many applications in the field of nuclear science. It is a control element for nuclear reactors, it is a shield against cosmic rays, and it is used in instruments for measuring neutrons.
The 10B isotope is very good at capturing thermal neutrons. This quality has led to its use as radiation shielding and as a component of boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT).
BNCT is based on the fission reaction between a 10B atom and a low-energy thermal neutron, which results in two types of radioactive particles, 7Li and 4He. Both of these particles have short ranges of travel,
The boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) process is designed to kill malignant tumor cells by using the two types of ionizing particles that result from this nuclear fission reaction to target cancerous cells with a lethal dose of energy. When the ionizing particles reach the cancerous cell, they cause intense damage to the nucleus of the cell and the DNA within it, leading to cell death.