This work presents a detailed radiation shielding study for polymer composites filled with Boron and Molybdenum additives. The chosen novel polymer composites were produced at different percentages ...of the additive materials to provide a proper evaluation of their neutron and gamma-ray attenuation abilities. The effect of additive particle size on the shielding characteristics was further investigated. On the gamma-ray side, simulation, theoretical and experimental evaluations were performed in a wide range of photon energies varying from 59.5 keV to 1332.5 keV with help of MC simulations (GEANT4 and FLUKA), WinXCOM code, a High Purity Germanium Detector, respectively. A remarkable consistency was reported between them. On the neutron shielding side, the prepared samples produced with nano and micron particle size additives were additionally examined by providing fast neutron removal cross-section (ΣR) and the simulated neutron transmissions through the prepared samples. The samples filled with nano sized particles show better shielding capability than the one filled with micron sized particles. In other words, a new polymer shielding material that does not contain toxic content is introduced: the sample codded N–B0Mo50 exhibits superior radiation attenuation.
•Unsaturated polyester is mixed with boron and molybdenum nano and micropowders.•The gamma and neutron shielding abilities are studied for nano-micron additives.•HPGe detector, WinXCOM program and MC simulations are used for gamma analysis.•Theoretical and simulation methods are used for the neutron shielding evaluation.•The proposed composites show excellent gamma and neutron shielding performance.
Researches on advanced composites to protect environment health towards radioactive pollution have drawn attention with the rising use of radioactive elements. From this point, polymer micro ...composites are quite encouraging in terms of multifunctional properties in mechanical, electrical, thermal, as well as nuclear shielding. The present study has explored the efficacy of micro lead (Pb) loaded polymer composites for radio protective applications such as a fabrication of protective enclosures. High energetic photon shielding experiments have been applied through gamma spectrometer equipped with HPGe detector and various radioactive point sources namely 137Cs, 22Na, 152Eu, 133Ba, 241Am and 57,60Co which are widely used in several medical and industrial applications. The results demonstrated that mass attenuation coefficients of the composites at different photon energies are proportional to the filler loading. The validation of FLUKA and GEANT4 Monte Carlo software has been performed in the simulation of transmission experiments as well as WinXCOM software. The tests of the Pb (20%) micro composite for the nuclear radiation shielding reveal that it has high attenuation coefficients for photon radiation.
•Micro Pb loaded polymer composites were produced for gamma shielding applications.•Experiments were performed with HPGe detector and 7 different sources.•The experimental results were checked with FLUKA, GEANT4 and WinXCOM.•The results demonstrated that μ/ρ is proportional to the filler loading.•Pb (20%) micro composite has high attenuation coefficients for γ-photon radiation.
Advanced radiation applications have been widely used and extended to many fields. As a result of this fact, choosing an appropriate shielding material based on the radiation application has become ...vital. In this regard, the integration of elements into polymer composites has been investigated and contributed to the quantity and quality of radiation shielding materials. This study reports photon attenuation parameters and electromagnetic shielding effectiveness of a novel polymer composite prepared with a matrix reinforced with three different proportions (5, 10, and 15 wt%) of niobium content. Addition of Nb dopant improves both photon attenuation and electromagnetic shielding effectiveness for the investigated composites. Therefore, Nb(15%) polymer composite with highest concentration has been found to be the best absorber for ionizing and non-ionizing radiations. Consequently, the performed analyzes provide evidences that the prepared Nb-reinforced polymer composite could be effectively used as photon radiation attenuator and electromagnetic shielding material.
This paper investigates the radiation shielding properties, such as linear and mass attenuation coefficients, half and tenth value layers, effective atomic number and electron density, and radiation ...protection efficiency as a function of photon energy, of a new composite, PbI
2
-doped polyester. The mentioned polyester composite was prepared with different proportions of lead(II) iodide (5% increments between 5 and 20%) so that impact of the dopant amount on radiation shielding could be properly analyzed. The prepared composites were tested in 22 different energies in the energy range of 59.5–1408.0 keV with the use of HPGe detector and eight radioactive point sources. The obtained results were further validated by comparing the results of XCOM computer program, and negligible discrepancies were observed. It was observed that PbI
2
(20%) composite is more effective gamma radiation shielding material than other produced composites. In light of this information, it can be said that the shielding efficiency increases with increasing lead(II) iodide amount.
This study presents gamma-shielding characteristics of Li2WO4 doped polyester composites. In the study, unsaturated polyester was chosen as resin, Li2WO4 was chosen as filling material, cobalt ...octoate 6% (CO-6) and methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP) were respectively chosen as accelerator and initiators. Four different samples with 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% Li2WO4 were prepared and the prepared samples were tested by using 22Na, 54Mn, 57Co, 60Co, 133Ba, 137Cs, 152Eu and 241Am radioactive point-isotropic sources and one gamma spectrometer system based HPGe detector. The experimental results were obtained with the help of the transmission geometry between 59.5 and 1408.0 keV photon energies. For the validation of the results, the test results were compared with the results obtained by WinXCOM computer program and both results showed good agreement. It was observed that the mass attenuation coefficients lie within the range of 0.3042–0.0558 cm2 g-1 for Li2WO4 (5%), 0.4074–0.0556 cm2 g-1 for Li2WO4 (10%), 0.5042–0.0555 cm2 g-1 for Li2WO4 (15%) and 0.5909–0.0553 cm2 g-1 for Li2WO4 (20%) in the energy range of 59.5–1408.0 keV. Comparing to the other Li2WO4 (5%, 10%, 15%) contents, Li2WO4 (20%) was found to have the higher radiation shielding property. This shows that the radiation protection performance of unsaturated polyester increases when Li2W04 is added as filler.
•Four Polyester/Li2WO4 composite samples with different percentage were prepared.•The radiation attenuation properties of these samples were investigated.•Experimental measurements were performed over a wide photon energy range.•Theoretical results were checked with experimental results.•Li2WO4(20%) sample is better for photon shielding comparing to the other samples.
The shielding efficiencies of gamma and neutron radiations for ternary composites containing polyester resin, polyacrylonitrile and gadolinium (III) sulfate at different ratios were investigated in ...the present study. In order to investigate the gamma radiation shielding capacity of the produced ternary composites, linear and mass attenuation coefficients, half value layer, effective atomic number and radiation protection efficiency parameters were determined experimentally, theoretically and using the GEANT4 simulation code. The gamma shielding capabilities of the composites were studied in the photon energy range of 59.5–1332.5 keV. In order to investigate the neutron shielding abilities of composites, inelastic, elastic, capture and transport numbers, total macroscopic cross section and mean free path parameters were determined with the help of GEANT4 simulation code. In addition, the number of transmitted neutrons at different sample thicknesses and neutron energies were also determined. It was observed that gamma radiation shielding properties were improved due to the increasing amount of gadolinium (III) sulfate and neutron shielding properties were improved due to the increasing amount of polyacrylonitrile. While the composite coded P0Gd50 exhibits a better gamma radiation shielding ability than the others, the neutron shielding of the sample coded P50Gd0 is also more favorable than the others.
•Ternary composites containing polyester, C3H3N and Gd2(SO4)3 were produced.•Their gamma shielding capacities were determined by three different methods.•Neutron shielding capacities were investigated with GEANT4.•It was observed that gamma shielding properties improved with increasing Gd2(SO4)3.•It was observed that neutron shielding properties improved with increasing C3H3N.
Polyester is strong and durable material and tends to retain its shape, thus polyester composites have become highly preferred option in high-tech applications. This motivates the usage of polyester ...composites in the production of radiation shielding materials as well. In present study, gamma ray shielding properties of polyester composite reinforced with different proportions of Cadmium Telluride (5%, 10%, 15% and 20%) have been investigated theoretically and experimentally. The experiments were performed with the use of HPGe detector in a wide range of photon energies varying from 59.5 to 1408.0 keV while XCOM computer program was computed in the same photon energy range to obtain theoretical results and to verify the experimental outcomes. Remarkable radiation protection efficiency was obtained with additive material of Cadmium Telluride, and the radiation protection efficiency was found to be increased with the increase of additive material amount. Negligible discrepancies between experimental and theoretical results were also observed.
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•Polyester composites reinforced with CdTe were produced for the first time.•The gamma-ray attenuation capacities of the composites were investigated.•Experimental and theoretical studies were carried out in a wide energy range.•Remarkable radiation protection efficiency was obtained with additive of CdTe.•CdTe(20%) coded sample has better gamma-ray attenuation than other samples.
The usage of composites as the shielding materials are highly recommended since they could be used in order to attenuate the undesired radiation with unique properties and advantages in the areas ...where the radiation is prevalent. In this context, not only are their radiation shielding properties important but also their flexibility, durability and low cost. Due to the mentioned superior characteristics, the polyester based composites are among the most preferred materials. With the aim of creating unique and novel radiation shielding materials, this study investigates gamma and neutron shielding capabilities of the polyester composites reinforced with Boron and Tin nanopowders at different proportions (0–50%, 10–40%, 20–30%, 30-20% and 40-10%, 50-0%). The gamma shielding abilities of the prepared polyester composite materials were evaluated using an HPGe detector system, WinXCOM computer program and different simulation tools (FLUKA and GEANT4) at the energies varying from 59.5 to 1332.5 keV. The experimental, theoretical and simulation results showed remarkable agreement between each other, and the addition of Sn enhances the gamma attenuation performance of the chosen polyester composite materials. In addition to gamma analysis results, neutron shielding properties of the proposed composites are further determined. On this purpose, the transmitted neutron numbers through the samples (as functions of neutron energy and the sample thickness) and effective neutron removal cross sections were evaluated. The neutron shielding performance of the samples showed that the prepared composites could be alternative materials to the existing neutron shields in the literature.
•The polyester composites reinforced with boron and tin nanopowders are produced.•The gamma attenuation abilities of the prepared composites are evaluated.•HPGe detector, WinXCOM program and MC simulations are used for gamma analysis.•Theoretical and simulation methods are used for the neutron shielding tests.•The proposed composites show excellent gamma and neutron shielding performance.
Advanced radiation applications have been widely used and extended to many fields. As a result of this fact, choosing an appropriate shielding material based on the radiation application has become ...vital. In this regard, the integration of elements into polymer composites has been investigated and contributed to the quantity and quality of radiation shielding materials. This study reports photon attenuation parameters and electromagnetic shielding effectiveness of a novel polymer composite prepared with a matrix reinforced with three different proportions (5, 10, and 15 wt%) of niobium content. Addition of Nb dopant improves both photon attenuation and electromagnetic shielding effectiveness for the investigated composites. Therefore, Nb(15%) polymer composite with highest concentration has been found to be the best absorber for ionizing and non-ionizing radiations. Consequently, the performed analyzes provide evidences that the prepared Nb-reinforced polymer composite could be effectively used as photon radiation attenuator and electromagnetic shielding material.
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