2024 journal article
A preliminary NASA compliant conformal coating for optimized space radiation shielding configurations and its mass attenuation coefficients
PROGRESS IN NUCLEAR ENERGY, 169.
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
7. Affordable and Clean Energy
(OpenAlex)
Source: Web Of Science
Added: April 1, 2024
As polymer applications and popularity grow in various contemporary industries, they are also being developed as matrices for high atomic number (Z) fillers in the field of radiation protection. Before a specific composite material can be a feasible radiation shield, it must first have defined and validated radiation shielding properties. This allows expected performance levels to be incorporated into material selection and design. The primary metric of photon shielding worth is mass attenuation coefficient. This report provides mass attenuation coefficients for two attractive metal oxide polymer composite options for energies ranging from 123 keV to 1.2 MeV, based on high Z and availability with low cost. The addition of tungsten oxide filler shows an effective way to improve X Ray shielding worth by multiple factors at the 123–247 keV energy range versus pure polyurethane coating or versus Aluminum. Similarly, gadolinium oxide infusion also effectively improves X Ray shielding worth in this energy regime. These samples featured exceptional homogeneity that allowed for performance levels to match theoretical calculations. With the low cost of the metal oxide powder and polyurethane coating, these materials show promise as cost-effective radiation shielding for various applications.