Radiation Shielding of Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites Incorporating Lead Nanoparticles—An Empirical Approach

Abstract

In the present work, an empirical approach based on a computational analysis is performed to study the shielding properties of epoxy/carbon fiber composites and epoxy/glass fiber composites incorporating lead nanoparticle (PbNPs) additives in the epoxy matrix. For this analysis, an MCNP5 model is developed for calculating the mass attenuation coefficients of the two fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites incorporating lead nanoparticles of different weight fractions. The model is verified and validated for different materials and different particle additives. Empirical correlations of the mass attenuation coefficient as a function of PbNPs weight fraction are developed and statistically analyzed. The results show that the mass attenuation coefficient increases as the weight fraction of lead nanoparticles increases up to a certain threshold (~15 wt%) beyond which the enhancement in the mass attenuation coefficient becomes negligible. Furthermore, statistical parameters of the developed correlations indicate that the correlations can accurately capture the behavior portrayed by the simulation data with acceptable root mean square error (RMSE) values.

Radiation Shielding Tests of Crosslinked Polystyrene-b-Polyethyleneglycol Block Copolymers Blended with Nanostructured Selenium Dioxide and Boron Nitride Particles

“…It should also be noted that when the gamma radiation energy increases, the RPE rates decrease, meaning that these decreases in the RPE rates confirm that all of our results are compatible with the other attenuation parameters (i.e., , , HVL, TVL, MFP) computed and experimentally detected. These conclusions obtained are consistent with the results of the research composites developed for gamma-ray shielding with various nanostructured additives, including polymers [ 11 , 12 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ]. As a result, the current alterations in nanoparticle proportions are quite efficacious for diminishing the influence of gamma radiation.…”

“…Smolyanskii et al worked on the construction of polytetrafluoroethylene developed via the combination of gamma irradiation and high temperatures, and concluded that these conditions (327–350 °C) lead to the evanescence of the poriferous texture and the creation of a few large pores [ 32 ]; furthermore, they indicated that it is important to carry out new research on the continuity of changes in the structure and irradiation–chemical operations, depending on the irradiation temperature. A. Abu Saleem et al focused on the shielding properties of epoxy + carbon- and glass-fiber composites doped with lead nanoparticles [ 33 ]; their conclusions indicate that the values rise as lead nanoparticle rates increase up to a specific proportion (~15 wt%), after which the enhancement in the values becomes negligible.…”

Radio-Absorbing Materials Based on Polymer Composites and Their Application to Solving the Problems of Electromagnetic Compatibility

“…Lead-Containing Nanocomposites [ 148 , 149 , 150 ]. Table 2 presents the results of measurements of specific volume resistance ρ v composite materials based on Pb -containing nanoparticles.…”

“…Lead-Containing Nanocomposites [ 148 , 149 , 150 ]. The results of the measurements of ε of Pb-containing composites at frequencies of 1 kHz and 1 MHz are presented in Table 4 [ 150 ].…”

Radiation and lead nanoparticles effects on the mechanical properties of unidirectional carbon fiber/epoxy composites

“…In another direction, several researchers investigated the effect on the shielding and mechanical properties of a polymer matrix upon incorporating filler materials to its structure. For example, Abu Saleem et al 20 investigated the effect on the material attenuation coefficients due to incorporating lead nanoparticles to the polymer matrix of a fiber reinforced polymer composites. They found that, up to a threshold value, the shielding properties of the composites improved as the weight fraction of the nanoparticle additives increased.…”