Morphological irregularities and attenuation properties of PVAc-GOAgSn polymer nanocomposites

This study investigates the morphological irregularities of PVAc-based nanocomposites and their effect on photon radiation shielding. Nanocomposites were prepared using polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) with graphene oxide (GO), silver (Ag), and tin (Sn) fillers at selected ratios. GO was synthesized using a modified Hummers' method, while Ag nanoparticles were produced via microwave irradiation. Sn powder was reduced in size using ball milling, and all fillers were dispersed in PVAc through probe sonication for uniform mixing. UV-Vis and FTIR analyses verified the successful synthesis of GO and Ag. FESEM observations revealed that Sn particles were not fully nanosized due to milling limitations and showed their distribution within the PVAc matrix. Photon attenuation tests were performed under medium- and high-energy photon and electron conditions to measure mass attenuation coefficient (MAC), linear attenuation coefficient (μ), half-value layer (HVL), mean free path (MFP), and radiation protection efficiency (RPE). At 364 keV, PVAc:GO:Ag:Sn achieved a MAC of 4.34 cm²/g, μ of 10.06 cm^-1, HVL of 0.27 cm, TVL of 0.89 cm, MFP of 0.39 cm, and RPE of 56.87%. Under high-energy conditions, only the 6 MV photon beam exhibited measurable RPE, while other high-energy photon and electron beams showed negligible attenuation, indicating selective shielding performance. Further optimization of Sn particle size is recommended.