Developing a New Light Weight Material-Based Epoxy Reinforced by Soil for γ-Ray Protection Applications: Detailed Examinations for Structural, Thermal, and γ-Ray Shielding Properties
摘要
The current work seeks to fabricated inexpensive, lead-free composite based on Iraqi soil and epoxy polymer for protection applications against the low γ-ray energy. The XRD pattern for the prepared composites was examined using the XRD diffractometer to identify the minerals constituting the prepared composites. The chemical composition and the soil distributions with in the prepared composites were confirmed using the scanning electron microscope (SEM) which is connected with a unit of energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX). The SEM analysis confirms the uniform distribution of soil content within the prepared composites and the EDAX spectrometer confirms an increase in the Na, Al, Mg, Si, Cl, Ca, and Fe concentrations as the soil content increased within the prepared composites. The impact of soil addition on the heat flow rate within the prepared composites was examined using the differential scanning calorimetry thermal analyzer. Furthermore, the impact of the partial substitution of Iraqi soil for the epoxy enhances the γ-ray shielding parameters according to the measured obtained by the NaI (Tl) detector. The measurements depict that the linear attenuation coefficient of the prepared composites raised from 0.262 ± 0.005 to 0.544 ± 0.010 cm−1 when the soil content raised from 0 to 60 wt%, respectively. Additionally, the experimental measurements were confirmed using the Monte Carlo simulation which indicates match between both methods with difference ranges of ± 5%. An increase in linear attenuation coefficient causes a decrease of half-value thickness and lead equivalent but enhances radiation protection of the composites with increased soil content.