Preparation and characterization of tin chloride-based polymeric composite for gamma shielding applications

Thin films of Poly (ethylene-co-vinyl acetate)/tin chloride different weight (w/w) ratios were prepared using a spin-coating method. The diameter, height, grain size, and other morphological and structural features of the prepared thin films were studied using atomic force microscope (AFM) system. Moreover, the maximum surface roughness and average diameter of the prepared thin films were reported to weight ratio of 0.3%Sn Also, the shielding properties of adding tin chloride inside the polymer matrix were investigated. In addition, the impact of adding the tin-dopant to the targeted polymer on the attenuation parameters, including the linear attenuation coefficient (μ), half-value layer (HVL), screening ratios, and the mean free path, were theoretically calculated. The results show that the properties of the prepared thin films can be improved significantly by introducing a small amount of tin chloride to the host polymer promoting the crystallinity of the produced material and enhancing the shielding property for gamma-rays. The better linear attenuation coefficient of the produced thin films was reported to the weight ratio of 0.3% Sn. The produced Poly (ethylene-co-vinyl acetate)/tin chloride thin films can be suggested as one of the significant shielding materials to be used in a wide range of applications in the field of radiation.