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Experiments have assessed various polymer composites for radiation shielding in diverse applications. These composites are lighter and non-toxic when compared to lead (Pb), making them particularly effective in diagnostic imaging for shielding against low-energy photons. This study demonstrates the fabrication of four composites by combining a base material, specifically a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) polymer, with 10% and 20% silicon (Si) and silicon carbide (SiC), respectively. Additionally, 5% molybdenum (Mo) was incorporated into the composites as a heavy metal element. The composites obtained were fabricated into 20 disks with a uniform thickness of 2 mm each. Discs were exposed to radiation from a low-energy X-ray source (32.5–64.5 keV). The chemical and physical properties of composites were assessed. The shielding ability of samples was evaluated by determining the linear and mass attenuation coefficients (μ and μm), radiation protection efficiency (RPE), half-value layer (HVL), and mean free path (MFP). According to our findings, supplementing HDPE with additives improved the attenuation of beams. The μm values showed that composite X-ray shielding characteristics were enhanced with filler concentration for both Si and SiC. Polymer composites with micro-molecule fillers shelter X-rays better than polymers, especially at low energy. The HVL and MFB values of the filler are lower than those of the pure HDPE sample, indicating that less thickness is needed to shield at the appropriate energy. HC-20 blocked 92% of the incident beam at 32.5 keV. This study found that increasing the composite sample thickness or polymer filler percentage could shield against low-energy radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The usage of radiation is mandatory for modern life; in the same manner, controlling the outflow of harmful radiation is vital and could be achieved via employing a shielding material to eliminate any potential nuclear and radiation accidents and incidents. Considering this point, this study aims to manufacture composite samples based on waste marble as novel radiation shields. The physical and radiation shielding ability of the prepared shields were determined and analyzed. For this purpose, a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector was used to detect the incoming photons emitted from three point sources (Am-241, Cs-137, and Co-60). The radiation attenuation factors for the new marble-based composites were measured for some energies, ranging from 0.06 to 1.333 MeV. We examined the effect of increasing the PbCO3 and CdO contents on the physical properties and radiation attenuation factors of the newly developed radiation shielding absorber. We found that the density of the samples increases from 1.784 to 1.796 g/cm3 when the CdO changes from 0 to 12.5 wt%. The linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) for all marble compositions has the maximum value at 0.06 MeV, while the LAC decreases with increasing energy. The highest LAC was found for Marb-3, with a composition of waste marble (50 wt%), polyester (25 wt%), PbCO3 (17.5 wt%), and CdO (7.5 wt%). We studied the impact of the addition of CdO on the expense of PbCO3 and we found that the half value layer (HVL) decreases with increasing the CdO content. Hence, when there is no space problem, the newly developed radiation shielding absorber can be used to maintain the cost effectiveness and environmentally friendliness of products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have attempted to develop the gamma radiation shielding abilities of newly prepared epoxy composites by introducing ZrO2. The radiation shielding parameters are experimentally reported below. The experimental setup included an HPGe detector and different radioactive point sources which emitted photons with energies of 0.06, 0.662, 1.173, and 1.333 MeV. The gamma radiation shielding abilities of the epoxy composites were examined in the context of the linear attenuation coefficient (LAC), half-value layer (HVL), radiation absorption ratio, and other factors. The experimental and Phy-X results for the LAC were compared, and acceptable consistency was reported. The lowest LAC values were reported for EBZr-0 (free of ZrO2), and we found that the photon attenuation competence of the present epoxy improved as a result of increasing the ZrO2 content. We compared the LAC values for the present epoxy composites with other samples, and we found that the prepared composites with 20% to 40% ZrO2 had higher LAC values than epoxy with 30% Yahyali Stone. The HVL lengths of the epoxy composites reduced with the addition of ZrO2 for the four selected energies, which confirmed that introducing ZrO2 improves the radiation absorption abilities of epoxy composites. At 0.06 MeV, the HVL for the ZrO2-free epoxy was 2.60 cm, which fell to 0.23 cm after adding 40% ZrO2. The mean free path (MFP) for the prepared composites was less than 1 cm at 0.06 MeV (standard for EBZr-0), while it was 1.32 cm for EBZr-10. For the other energies, it was higher than 6 cm, and became higher than 10 cm at 1.333 MeV for all composites. The obtained results suggest that non-toxic, natural, and cheap epoxy composites with high ZrO2 content have the potential to improve the gamma ray shielding competence of epoxy composites for low energy radiation applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of five glass samples have a chemical composition of (55-x) B2O3 + 5 Bi2O3 + 20SrF2 + 20Na2O + xAg2O with varied doping ratios x = 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 mol% were fabricated using the melt quenching technique to study the effect of B2O3 replacement by Ag2O on the physical, mechanical, optical and gamma-ray shielding capacity of the fabricated glasses. The Cary 5000 UV–Vis–NIR measured the optical absorption in the wavelength range between 200 and 3000 nm. Based on the measured optical absorption, energy (direct/indirect) bandgap and Urbach energy were calculated. Moreover, the measured samples density, molar volume, packing density, dissociation energy, and mechanical properties for the fabricated glasses were calculated using the concepts of the Makishima-Mackenzie model. In this regard, the microhardness was decreased from 4.070 to 3.931 GPa with raising the Ag2O concentration. The effect of B2O3 replacement on the shielding capacity was also evaluated using the Monte Carlo simulation. The simulation results showed that the replacement of B2O3 causes a significant increase in the shielding parameters like linear attenuation coefficient and radiation shielding capacity. The best radiation shielding properties were achieved for a glass sample with 4 mol% Ag2O compound. Its linear attenuation coefficient varied between 8.091 and 0.134 cm−1, raising the gamma photon energy between 0.059 and 2.506 MeV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Materials with high atomic numbers are effective for shielding ionizing radiation. However, some, such as lead, are toxic, and their disposal causes environmental damage. Polymer composites are a good choice for radiation shielding because they are environmentally friendly, lightweight and non-toxic. This study investigated the possibility of using high-density polyethylenhe (HDPE) composites doped with three different materials comprising the carbide (such as tungsten carbide, and molybdenum carbide) and ceramic (silicon carbide) as a kilo-voltage radiation shield. The linear attenuation coefficients of the composites ranged from 0.21 to 2.82 c m − 1 . The measured results are in good agreement with XCOM with an average error of 13.82%. Through meticulous empirical analysis, including the assessment of linear and mass attenuation coefficients, half-value layer (HVL), and mean free path (MFP), our findings suggest that HDPE composites doped with 15% MoC present the most promising configuration for low-energy X-ray shielding (30–50 keV). This work concludes that HDPE composites decorated with MoC and W could be used as an alternative and environment-friendly material for shielding of kilo-voltage X-rays in medical diagnostics and research environments. • HDPE composites doped with WC, MoC & SiC are studied as a kilo-volt X-ray shield. • Measured attenuation properties of the composite show good agreement with XCOM data. • Composite containing heavy metal such as 15% MoC showed the highest attenuation in the 30–50 keV energy. • HDPE + MoC and WC composites offer an alternative for shielding of X-rays in medical fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]