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Gamma ray attenuation of hafnium dioxide- and tungsten trioxide-epoxy resin composites

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Abstract

Composites containing WO3 or HfO2 nanoparticles were prepared and investigated as alternative shielding materials. Their performance was assessed using radioactive sources emitting photons with energies between 122 and 1407 keV. At 122 keV, the mass attenuation coefficient of the nanocomposites was five times greater to that of the epoxy matrix, and it gradually decreased with increasing energy. An enhancement in the mass attenuation coefficient of the polymer between 15% and 50% was observed at E > 1 MeV when adding the nanoparticles. These results support the development of lightweight garments for radiological application made of nanomaterials and polymeric matrices.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financed by Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) with the support of the Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering Department and the NRC-HQ-84-14-FOA-002 faculty development program in radiation detection and health physics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, College of Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA

    Maria C. Molina Higgins & Jessika V. Rojas

  2. Porvair Filtration Group, Inc., Ashland, VA, USA

    Nicholus A. Radcliffe

  3. Isotope and Fuel Cycle Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA

    Miguel Toro-González

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  1. Maria C. Molina Higgins
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Molina Higgins, M.C., Radcliffe, N.A., Toro-González, M. et al. Gamma ray attenuation of hafnium dioxide- and tungsten trioxide-epoxy resin composites. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 322, 707–716 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-019-06714-3

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