China has made a major breakthrough in nuclear technology with the successful development of the low-temperature distillation process for separating the boron-10 isotope by the China Institute of Atomic Energy. This breakthrough has given China full independent intellectual property rights for the large-scale separation of boron-10 isotope, enabling the stable production of enriched boron-10 with an abundance of up to 70%.

Boron-10, with its exceptional neutron absorption properties, is a critical element in the nuclear industry. An important derivative, boron-10 acid, is essential for various applications. As the natural abundance of boron-10 is only 19.8%, the enrichment process is crucial. 

The use of enriched boron-10 acid in nuclear power plants can significantly reduce the total amount of boric acid needed. This reduction effectively minimizes the risk of boric acid crystallization and mitigates corrosion in the cooling system. These improvements significantly enhance both the safety and economic performance of nuclear power plant operations.

(Source: China National Nuclear Corporation)