article · Applied Sciences
Polymer composite materials were developed to evaluate their potential for gamma radiation shielding. Using a base of polyepoxide resin and a solidifying agent mixed in a two to one ratio by weight, samples were prepared with bismuth oxide doping at zero, five, and ten weight per cent. Physical testing established that composite density increased from 1.103 to 1.20 grams per cubic centimetre as the proportion of bismuth oxide rose. Computer simulations using the MCNP-5 code modelled the behaviour of gamma photons within the materials by calculating the mean track length. The resulting data revealed that adding bismuth oxide improved radiation shielding capability, driving the linear attenuation coefficient up from 0.101 to 0.118 per centimetre. This upward trend confirmed that higher concentrations of bismuth oxide positively influence related radiation shielding parameters.
Protecting people and sensitive instruments from harmful gamma radiation requires effective shielding materials. Demonstrating that adding bismuth oxide to lightweight polymer resins increases their density and radiation attenuation capabilities provides valuable insights. This supports the development of non-traditional shielding materials that combine simple fabrication with improved capacity to block gamma rays.
This work is at an early experimental and simulation stage, demonstrating that bismuth oxide additions improve the shielding qualities of epoxy composites. Potential users include manufacturers of radiation protection equipment and nuclear containment components. The abstract does not indicate a specific commercialisation pathway or direct product development timeline beyond these initial laboratory and computational tests.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
Three different samples were synthesized based on polyepoxide resin, a solidifying agent, and a Bi2O3 doping compound. The polyepoxide resin and solidifying agent were added in a 2:1 ratio by weight and the Bi2O3 compound was added in ratios of 0, 5, and 10 wt. %. The density of the synthesized composites was measured using an MH-300A densimeter with an uncertainty in measurement of 0.001 g/cm3. The measurements showed that the density of the fabricated composite varied from 1.103 g/cm3 to 1.20 g/cm3 when the reinforcing Bi2O3 compound was raised from 0 wt. % to 10 wt. %. Furthermore, the γ-ray shielding parameters were evaluated based on the simulated mean track length of γ-photons inside the synthesized composites using MCNP-5 code. The simulated results show an enhancement in the shielding parameter when increasing the Bi2O3 concentration, where the linear attenuation coefficient values increased from 0.101 cm−1 to 0.118 cm−1 as the Bi2O3 concentration increased from 0 to 10 wt. %. The increase in the LAC has a positive effect on the other shielding properties.
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DOI: 10.3390/app13031757
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