ABS filamentinin gama ve nötron radyasyonu zırhlama kabiliyetinin araştırılması ve geliştirilmesi

Radiation is a fundamental safety concern for nearly all nuclear applications, requiring careful control to protect living organisms and surrounding materials. In this context, radi-ation shielding materials have been researched and utilized in nuclear technologies. Mate-rial selection must be based on the radiation's application, type, and energy. Polymer mate-rials are preferred for radiation protection applications due to their superior properties such as chemical inertness, durability, flexibility, strength, and cost-effectiveness. In this thesis, the gamma and neutron shielding properties of ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) thermoplastics commonly used in 3D printing have been comprehensively investigated through enrichment with Er2O3 and Gd2O3 additives. Employing a versatile approach encompassing experimental, theoretical, and simulation methods, the efficacy of these modified thermoplastics in attenuating gamma and neutron radiation has been studied across different material thicknesses and radiation energies. Furthermore, the microstruc-tures of the produced materials have been examined to ensure structural integrity. The re-search includes a comparative analysis of two different production methods: casting and 3D printing. The manufactured samples were systematically labeled based on the produc-tion technique and the nano-oxide compounds they contained. Various radioactive point sources were utilized to measure gamma radiation attenuation, and the HPGe detector sys-tem, along with theoretical tools like XCOM and EpiXS, as well as simulations such as FLUKA and GEANT4, were employed. Simultaneously, neutron attenuation properties were evaluated through theoretical calculations and FLUUKA and GEANT4 simulations. SEM/EDS analysis was conducted to examine microstructures, and TGA analysis was per-formed for thermal characterization, ultimately determining the optimal shielding material for each sample. Through rigorous analysis and evaluations, this thesis contributes to the development and optimization of radiation shielding materials, particularly for applications requiring customization and complex structures, such as those produced using 3D printing technology.