Abstract: Nuclear energy, in the course of its rapid development, also generates radiation hazards. To protect human health and the safety of the surrounding environment, it is necessary to equip nuclear shielding materials. As the demands for radiation protection continue to increase, traditional single-function shielding materials are no longer sufficient. It is essential to develop new-generation nuclear shielding materials that integrate structure and function, capable of addressing various complex scenarios, and to achieve the domestic production of shielding materials. This paper outlines the application range and design requirements for novel nuclear shielding materials, reviews the current mainstream shielding materials, and summarizes various metal-based nuclear shielding materials developed by our research group in recent years. It emphasizes that, in addition to structural applications, the integrated characteristics of neutron moderation and absorption in shielding materials will become a key focus for future research and development.

Key words: nuclear shielding, neutron, gamma-ray, nuclear shielding material