Introducing a novel low energy gamma ray shield utilizing Polycarbonate Bismuth Oxide composite

Abstract

The fabrication of different weight percentages of Polycarbonate-Bismuth Oxide composite (PC-Bi2O3), namely 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 wt%, was done via the mixed-solution method. The dispersion state of the inclusions into the polymeric matrix was studied through XRD and SEM analyses. Also, TGA and DTA analyses were carried out to investigate the thermal properties of the samples. Results showed that increasing the amount of Bi2O3 into the polymer matrix shifted the glass transition temperature of the composites towards the lower temperatures. Then, the amount of mass attenuation coefficients of the samples were measured using a CsI(Tl) detector for different gamma rays of 241Am, 57Co, 99mTc, and 133Ba radioactive sources. It was obtained that increasing the concentration of the Bi2O3 fillers in the polycarbonate matrix resulted in increasing the attenuation coefficients of the composites significantly. The attenuation coefficient was enhanced twenty-three times for 50 wt% composite in 59 keV energy, comparing to the pure polycarbonate.

A Brief Review on the High-Energy Electromagnetic Radiation-Shielding Materials Based on Polymer Nanocomposites

“…The results shown that the attenuation coefficients were increased significantly. Namely, the nanocomposite containing 50 wt % of bismuth oxide nanoparticles showed an increase of twenty-three times the attenuation coefficient compared with the pristine PC [77].…”

Gamma Irradiation and the Radiation Shielding Characteristics: For the Lead Oxide Doped the Crosslinked Polystyrene-b-Polyethyleneglycol Block Copolymers and the Polystyrene-b-Polyethyleneglycol-Boron Nitride Nanocomposites

“…For these reasons, polymer composite-based materials have been the focus point of scientific interest and active multidisciplinary and industrial research groups because of their interesting properties and potential [ 20 , 21 , 22 ]. In addition, many explorers have remarkably conducted polymer composite-based radiation-absorbing substances [ 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 ]. The fact that polymers can be with ease manufactured in a coating style, characterized with an extruder, or shaped for textural parts is substantial supremacy for gamma-irradiation shielding enforcements of polymer-based compounds.…”

Guayule Natural Rubber Latex and Bi2O3 Films for X-ray Attenuating Medical Gloves

“…The differences started to diminish at micro-Bi 2 O 3 loadings above 150 PHR ( Figure 7 ). This could happen due to the agglomeration of the filler in those films with a high concentration of micro-Bi 2 O 3 particles, thus producing films with a non-homogeneous dispersion of the filler [ 52 ]. Moreover, the difference in the attenuation coefficient among films at lower levels of energy is greater compared to those at higher energy levels because the photoelectric effect is predominant at low energy levels and Campton scattering increases at high energy levels [ 52 ].…”

“…This could happen due to the agglomeration of the filler in those films with a high concentration of micro-Bi 2 O 3 particles, thus producing films with a non-homogeneous dispersion of the filler [ 52 ]. Moreover, the difference in the attenuation coefficient among films at lower levels of energy is greater compared to those at higher energy levels because the photoelectric effect is predominant at low energy levels and Campton scattering increases at high energy levels [ 52 ]. Therefore, the results suggest that the production of RAGs with very high concentrations of micro-Bi 2 O 3 may be impractical because filler agglomeration is expected and AE becomes progressively less additive at filler concentrations above 150 PHR.…”