Flexible Polyurethane - Tungsten oxide based composite for γ radiation shielding.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nuclear Engineering
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Developing effective gamma radiation shielding materials is crucial for safety in various applications.
• Polymer composites offer tunable properties for radiation attenuation.
• Tungsten oxide (WO3) is a dense ceramic with potential for radiation shielding.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and investigate tungsten oxide (WO3) polymer composites as advanced gamma radiation shielding materials.
• To experimentally assess the radiation shielding performance of these composites across a range of gamma-ray energies.
• To compare experimental results with simulations and theoretical data for validation.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of seven polymer composite samples with varying weight percentages (0-50 wt%) of WO3 using solvent casting.
• Experimental evaluation of shielding properties (attenuation coefficients, HVL, MFP, RPE, Zeff, Ne) using gamma-ray spectroscopy with an HPGe detector (81-1408 keV).
• Validation through Geant4 simulations and comparison with Phy-X/PSD theoretical data.

Main Results:

• The composite with 50 wt% WO3 exhibited the highest mass attenuation coefficient (2.947 cm²/g) and linear attenuation coefficient (4.8 cm⁻¹).
• Shielding performance was directly correlated with WO3 content.
• The 50 wt% PU-WO3 composite showed superior shielding efficiency compared to polymer-based bismuth oxide composites at 81 keV.

Conclusions:

• Tungsten oxide polymer composites are effective gamma radiation shielding materials.
• Higher WO3 content significantly enhances shielding capabilities.
• The developed 50 wt% WO3 composite presents a promising, efficient alternative for gamma radiation shielding applications.