Research and development of gamma and neutron radiation shielding capability of PLA filament

Radiation, although advantageous in many applications, poses a risk to humans and the environment and requires the use of protective materials such as lead. In this thesis, the potential usage of Polylactic Acid (PLA) filament as an alternative shielding material against gamma and neutron radiation was studied. PLA was doped with Er2O3 and Gd2O3 metal powders at different ratios (5%, 10% and 20%) and their radiation shielding capabilities were investigated using various gamma radiation sources. The structure and homogeneity of the doped composites were analyzed using SEM and EDS. Various parameters such as linear attenuation coefficient and half-value thickness were calculated both experimentally and through GEANT4 and FLUKA simulation programs. The findings show that PLA doped with 20% Gd2O3 has superior gamma radiation shielding capability, especially at low energies. It was also found that the shielding ability of PLA filament against neutron radiation decreases when doped with these metal powders. Calculations with GEANT4 and FLUKA also confirm that doping does not increase the shielding efficiency of the samples against fast neutrons.