Lead(II) chloride effects on nuclear shielding capabilities of polymer composites

Abstract

This study investigated the radiation shielding capacity of undoped polymer composite and lead (II) chloride (PbCl2)-containing polymer composite samples. The PbCl2 and polyester resin were used as filler and base materials, respectively. The PbCl2 was added to the polyester resin from 5 wt% to 20 wt%, and so an undoped polymer composite and four polymer composite samples each with different PbCl2/polymer resin ratios were investigated for their radiation attenuation capacity. Experimental data of the samples were taken using an HPGe detector, and 241Am, 133Ba, 57Co, 22Na, 137Cs, 152Eu, 54Mn and 60Co radioactive point sources were used with energies in the range of 59.5–1408.0 keV. The experimental data were compared with both those simulated with FLUKA code and those theoretically calculated in WinXCOM. Mass attenuation coefficients used in estimating the shielding capacity of the samples were in good agreement with those found using FLUKA and WinXCOM. Radiation protection efficiency was improved by 244% especially at 59.5 keV energy by using PbCl2(20%) polymer composite compared to undoped polymer composite. The sample with the maximum weight percentage of PbCl2, PbCl2(20%), had the highest attenuation coefficients and lowest absorption thicknesses, and had the best radiation shielding property compared to the other polymer composite samples. © 2020 Elsevier Ltd