Fabrication and Characterization of Shielding Properties of Heavy Mineral Reinforced Polymer Composite Materials for Radiation Protection

Heavy mineral and unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) based composite blocks were prepared for potential shielding of ionizing radiations. Locally available heavy minerals with Ilmenite, Magnetite, Garnet, Rutile, Zirconium contents were used to fabricate the composite blocks for the gamma photons with energies 0.662 MeV - 1.25 MeV. The shielding capacity was evaluated in terms of Half Value Layer (HVL), Tenth Value Layer (TVL), Sixteenth Value Layer (SVL), Linear attenuation coefficient, Mass attenuation coefficient, and reduced % of radiation intensity. The Ilmenite composite exhibits relatively good attenuation performance in the case of 0.662 MeV photons of Cs-137. On the other hand, Zirconium composite demonstrates relatively good attenuation capacity in the case of 1.25 MeV photons of Co-60 in comparison to the ordinary concrete block. The goal of this work is to explore some novel materials to be effectively used as gamma shielding options in radiation facilities at minimal cost.