Synthesis, characterizations, and applications of intelligent light weight polyethylene wax/bentonite/g-C3N4-charcoal nanocomposites in gamma radiation shielding

Abstract

To address the necessity for intelligent shielding materials that protect passengers and crew in aircraft from gamma radiation, a low-density, lead-free nanocomposite has been developed. The bentonite, g-C₃N₄-charcoal, and bentonite/g-C₃N₄-charcoal on LDPE wax nanocomposites were produced by mixing 4 % of nanoparticles with LDPE wax (LDPE wax/4 % bentonite, LDPE wax/4 % g-C₃N₄-charcoal, and LDPE wax/2 % bentonite/2 % g-C₃N₄-charcoal). The structure and elemental composition of the prepared nanocomposites were studied by utilizing transmission electron microscopy (TEM), XRD, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), EDS, infrared spectroscopic analysis (FTIR), and hardness (Shore D). Subsequently, mass attenuation coefficient (MAC), the Half-value Layer (HVL), Linear Attenuation Coefficients (μl), Mean Free Path (MFP), and the density of the synthesized nanocomposites were calculated. The parameters indicated that the composite's ability to attenuate gamma radiation is significantly improved by selecting the appropriate nanocomposites combination. The resulting LDPE wax/2 % bentonite/2 % g-C₃N₄-charcoal nanocomposites exhibited optimal performance for efficient shielding, particularly at lower gamma-ray energy. At 1.330 MeV, the mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) of the appropriately composed nanocomposites increased by 52 % compared to pure wax, while the linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) followed a similar trend, increasing by 71 %. The HVL diminished by 44.3 % at the same energy for the appropriate nanocomposites, while the MFP decreased by 43.3 %. These findings illustrate the promise of bentonite g-C₃N₄-charcoal nanocomposites as a durable and effective material for radiation shielding, with significant utility across diverse fields, including the development of secure aircraft against gamma radiation.