Gamma ray interaction studies on light-weight, eco-friendly PVA-based composites using construction waste materials as fillers

IF 2.1 3区工程技术 Q3 CHEMISTRY, INORGANIC & NUCLEAR

Applied Radiation and Isotopes Pub Date : 2026-03-01 Epub Date: 2025-12-01 DOI:10.1016/j.apradiso.2025.112356

Ashwitha Chikkegowda , Adarsh Raj Lingaraj , Vaishnavi Narayan , Sankarshan Belur Mohan , Sannathammegowda Krishnaveni

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Abstract

The search for alternatives to toxic lead-based shielding materials is vital for sustainable radiation protection. This study investigates polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composites reinforced with recycled eco-friendly fillers: granite, glass, and redmud as substitutes for conventional gamma-ray shields. Shielding parameters, including Linear and Mass attenuation coefficients (μ, μ/ρ), Half value layer (HVL), Tenth value layer (TVL), Mean free path (λ), and Effective atomic number (Z_eff), were measured for composites with 10–40 wt% filler concentrations using gamma energies from 511 to 1332 keV. Experimental results closely matched theoretical values determined from XCOM and AutoZeff softwares. The findings show that increasing filler concentrations lead to an increase in μ, μ/ρ, and Z_eff, whereas decrease in HVL, TVL, and λ for all three PVA composites. The maximum value of μ/ρ i.e., 0.090, 0.089, and 0.082 cm²/g is observed at 511 keV, and Z_eff i.e., 10.068, 8.527 and 7.988 at 1332 keV for 40 wt% filler concentration for PVA - Granite, PVA-Glass and PVA-Redmud, respectively. Furthermore, among the composites, PVA–granite exhibited the highest μ (0.28 cm⁻¹), μ/ρ (0.09 cm²/g), and Z_eff (10.07), along with the lowest HVL (2.50 cm), TVL (8.31 cm), and λ (3.61 cm) values at 40 wt% for a given energy. These results highlight that PVA–granite acts as a relatively better shielding composite and serves as a promising, lightweight, flexible, and eco-friendly alternative for radiation shielding in medical, nuclear, and aerospace applications.

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以建筑垃圾为填料的轻质环保聚乙烯醇基复合材料的伽马射线相互作用研究。

寻找有毒铅基屏蔽材料的替代品对可持续辐射防护至关重要。本研究研究了聚乙烯醇（PVA）复合材料，用回收的环保填料增强：花岗岩、玻璃和赤泥作为传统伽马射线屏蔽的替代品。利用511 ~ 1332 keV的γ能量，测量了填料浓度为10 ~ 40wt %的复合材料的屏蔽参数，包括线性和质量衰减系数（μ, μ/ρ）、半值层（HVL）、十值层（TVL）、平均自由程（λ）和有效原子序数（Zeff）。实验结果与XCOM和AutoZeff软件计算的理论值非常吻合。结果表明，填料浓度的增加导致复合材料的μ、μ/ρ和Zeff增加，而HVL、TVL和λ减小。PVA- Granite、PVA- glass和PVA- redmud的μ/ρ在511 keV时最大值分别为0.090、0.089和0.082 cm2/g，当填料浓度为40 wt%时，Zeff在1332 keV时分别为10.068、8.527和7.988。此外，在复合材料中，pva -花岗岩表现出最高的μ (0.28 cm-1)、μ/ρ (0.09 cm2/g)和Zeff(10.07)，以及最低的HVL （2.50 cm）、TVL （8.31 cm）和λ (3.61 cm)值。这些结果突出表明，pva -花岗岩作为一种相对更好的屏蔽复合材料，在医疗、核和航空航天应用中是一种有前途的、轻量级的、灵活的、环保的辐射屏蔽替代品。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Applied Radiation and Isotopes 工程技术-核科学技术

CiteScore

3.00

自引率

12.50%

发文量

406

审稿时长

13.5 months

期刊介绍： Applied Radiation and Isotopes provides a high quality medium for the publication of substantial, original and scientific and technological papers on the development and peaceful application of nuclear, radiation and radionuclide techniques in chemistry, physics, biochemistry, biology, medicine, security, engineering and in the earth, planetary and environmental sciences, all including dosimetry. Nuclear techniques are defined in the broadest sense and both experimental and theoretical papers are welcome. They include the development and use of α- and β-particles, X-rays and γ-rays, neutrons and other nuclear particles and radiations from all sources, including radionuclides, synchrotron sources, cyclotrons and reactors and from the natural environment. The journal aims to publish papers with significance to an international audience, containing substantial novelty and scientific impact. The Editors reserve the rights to reject, with or without external review, papers that do not meet these criteria. Papers dealing with radiation processing, i.e., where radiation is used to bring about a biological, chemical or physical change in a material, should be directed to our sister journal Radiation Physics and Chemistry.