Determination of gamma radiation shielding properties of reinforced ternary composites

ABSTRACT In this study, in order to improve radiation shielding properties, unsaturated polyester-based polymer composites doped with inorganic compounds were prepared and their gamma radiation shielding properties were investigated. Ternary composites have been produced using unsaturated polyester resin as binder and ferro-chromium and manganese (Mn), molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) or bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl) as filler materials. A polymer matrix was obtained by using unsaturated polyester resin, cobalt octoate (6%) and methyl ethyl ketone peroxide, and filling materials were added to this polymer matrix in certain proportions. To investigate the radiation shielding properties of the produced composites, radiation shielding efficiency, radiation transmission rate, mass and linear attenuation coefficients, half value layer, tenth value layer, mean free path, molecular, atomic, and electronic cross-sections, effective atomic number, effective electron density, and effective conductivity parameters were determined. Experimental studies were carried out at nine different energies emitted from 22Na, 60Co, 133Ba and 137Cs radioactive sources in the photon energy range between 276.4 keV and 1332.5 keV and with the help of an HPGe detector. The obtained experimental results were compared with the theoretical results created using WinXCOM. When radiation shielding parameters were examined in medium and high energy regions, it was found that polymer composite coded as FeCrBi50 were better radiation shielding materials than others. Keywords: Radiation shielding; HPGe detector; WinXCOM; Polymer composite; manganese; molybdenum disulfide; bismuth oxychloride.