Smart polymers as gamma ray Shields:Experimental evaluation of shielding performance

The findings of this study will further our understanding of the potential of smart polymers to enhance gamma ray shielding, which will lead to new opportunities for the development of protective materials that are more efficient, adaptable, and lightweight. This work has investigated the shielding properties against gamma and neutrons of six different types of smart polymers: polyurethane, silicon carbide, polypropylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, and poly (vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene). We have calculated the mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) using the NaI (Tl) scintillation detector and the WinXCom tool. The MAC is then used to calculate the linear attenuation coefficient (LAC), half and tenth value layer (HVL & TVL), mean free path (MFP), and effective atomic number (Z_eff) for total photon interaction over the 122–1330 keV energy range. Furthermore, the macroscopic effective removal cross-sections (∑_R) for fast neutrons were calculated. Polyurethane exhibited the highest mass attenuation coefficient (0.141 cm²/g at 122 keV) and a quicker neutron removal cross-section of 0.12 cm⁻¹. This characteristic emphasizes its superior performance in attenuating gamma and neutron radiation. The relative differences between experimental and theoretical mass attenuation coefficient values indicate that the discrepancies range from 1% to 5%, with noteworthy agreement between theoretical and experimental results.