ORALS

SESSION: AdvancedMaterialsThuAM-R5	7th Intl Symposium on New & Advanced Materials and Technologies for Energy, Environment, Health and Sustainable Development
Thu. 30 Nov. 2023 / Room: Heliconia
Session Chairs: Fernand Marquis; Session Monitor: TBA

12:50: [AdvancedMaterialsThuAM04] OS
RECYCLABLE LEAD-FREE RADIATION SHIELDING MATERIALS WITH SUPERIOR PROTECTION AGAINST MEDICAL DIAGNOSTIC X RAYS
Anita Trajkovska-Broach¹ ; Melissa Agguini² ; Dave Arnold³ ; Leeann Fachko⁴ ; Andrew Skaggs⁵ ; ¹Scientist/Consultant, CSI: Create. Solve. Innovate. LLC, Blacksburg, United States; ²Vice President Marketing and Product Management, Newport News, United States; ³Product Development, Newport News, United States; ⁴CEO, Newport News, United States; ⁵VP Operations, Newport News, United States;
Paper Id: 285 [Abstract]

X rays are high-energy ionizing rays, which can cause severe damage to the human body if the proper protection is not in place. Traditionally, lead-containing radiation shielding materials have been used for protection of both, the patients and the operators, in medical X ray diagnostic and interventional settings. Lead is known to be a good X ray attenuation metal due to its high atomic number (Z), high density and low cost, but its weight and toxicity have prompted the search for light-weight and lead-free shielding materials [1, 2]. In this study, recyclable non-lead radiation shielding materials with superior protection in an extended range of diagnostic X ray energies from 50 to 150 kV are presented. The radiation protective materials consist of optimized elastomeric matrix filled with non-lead protective metal particles, such as antimony, bismuth, tungsten, barium, etc. Light-weight radiation shielding materials were made by selecting the proper combination of metals with certain Z, density and K-adsorption edge, and by optimizing their loading level, particle sizes and particle size distributions. The materials showed a superior attenuation level against primary and scatter X rays compared to competitive materials, as tested in a modified broad beam geometry (BBG*) according to the IEC 61331-1: 2014 standard [3]. The attenuation level of the presented lead-free materials is comparable to that of lead-containing shielding materials [4]. Moreover, the materials have improved mechanical properties, viz. tensile strength, toughness and elongation, which enable applications in various medical settings, such as protective aprons, caps, sleeves, vests, thyroid shields, drapes, blankets, and other protective garments. Lastly, but not least, the presented lead-free protective materials are recyclable and can be re-processed in the same manufacturing processes used for their original production.

References:
[1] Shahzad, K.; Kausar, A.; Manzoor, S.; Rakha, S.A.; Uzair, A.; Sajid, M.; Arif, A.; Khan, A.F.; Diallo, A.; Ahmad, I. Views on Radiation Shielding Efficiency of Polymeric Composites/ Nano-composites and Multi-Layered Materials: Current State and Advancements. Radiation 2023, 3, 1–20.
[2] Gilys, L.; Griškonis, E.; Griškevicius, P.; Adlien˙ e, D. Lead Free Multilayered Polymer Composites for Radiation Shielding. Polymers 2022, 14, 1696.
[3] H. Eder, H.; Schlattl, H. IEC 61331-1: A new setup for testing lead free X-ray protective clothing, Physica Medica 45 (2018) 6–11.
[4] Trajkovska-Petkoska, A. Assessment of the Protective Efficiency of Commercial Lead-Free Protective Materials Against Diagnostic X Rays, Materials (MDPI), 2023, in progress.