Polyurethane-based foam composites: synthesis, structural characteristics, and radiation shielding properties

This study investigates the potential of pure polyurethane (PU) foam as a lightweight, cost-effective shielding material against ionizing radiation, emphasizing its adaptability for incorporating high-performance fillers. PU foam was doped with various materials, including NiO, ZnO, Cr₂O₃, MnO₂, BaO(Fe₂O₃)₆, and sludge (at 44.5 wt.% loading), to enhance its shielding properties. The synthesized composites were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF). Radiation shielding performance was evaluated through Monte Carlo simulations (MCNP) and Phy-X software for γ-rays (0.015-15 MeV) and fast neutron attenuation (up to 11 MeV). Results showed that incorporating high-density, high-atomic-number fillers significantly improved γ-ray attenuation, with BaO(Fe₂O₃)₆ demonstrating the highest linear attenuation coefficient. Conversely, pure PU foam effectively attenuated fast neutrons due to its high concentration of light elements. The findings highlight PU-based composites as promising materials for γ-ray and neutron shielding, particularly in X-ray protection and radiological safety applications.