Eco/Friendly Polymer-Based Composites for Nuclear Shielding Applications

In the last few decades, the challenges of ionizing radiationIonizing radiation shieldingRadiation shielding have begun gaining attention of investigators in order to minimize the harmful effectsHarmful effects of various radiations especially on workers who are interested in the outcome of a nuclearNuclear or radiologicalRadiological situation that requires protectionProtection. In this context, the presented chapter focuses on the shieldingShielding preparation, materials designMaterials design, photonPhoton, and neutron shieldingNeutron shielding performancesPerformance of polymer-based compositesPolymer-based composite doped with bismuth nitrateBismuth nitrate in different weight ratiosWeight ratio. Here, the photon attenuationPhoton attenuation behavior of the prepared compositesComposite is determined using a gamma spectrometerGamma spectrometer equipped with High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detectorHPGe detector that covers a wide energyEnergy range varying from 0.060 to 1.408 meV. Besides, the obtained experimental dataExperimental data are further compared with the results of theoreticalTheoretical (WinXCOM softwareWinXCOM software) and Monte Carlo simulation (GEANT4)Monte Carlo simulation (GEANT4). In addition, the fast neutronFast neutron massMass removal cross sectionsCross section and the numbers of transmitted neutronsNeutron at different thicknessThickness and neutronNeutron energiesEnergy are estimated with the use of GEANT4Monte Carlo simulation (GEANT4) simulationsSimulation by codingCoding the elemental compositions of the fabricated compositesComposite. The results showed that the gamma attenuationGamma attenuation was improved with the increase of BiNOBiNO dopantDopant amount. Among the prepared samples, the sample with 20% BiNOBiNO concentrationConcentration was found to be the best radiation shieldingRadiation shielding material. In addition to being used for the ionizing radiationIonizing radiation shieldingRadiation shielding, such polyesterPolyester compositesComposite can also be used as shielding absorbersShielding absorber for the low-energyLow-energy ionizing radiationIonizing radiation. In short, it is expected that the researchers and scientists in the fieldsField of nuclearNuclear and medical physicsMedical physics will benefit from this chapter.