What are the gamma-ray shielding properties of crosslinked polystyrene-b-polyethyleneglycol block copolymers blended with nanostructured selenium dioxide (SeO₂) and boron nitride (BN) particles?

Label:chem

Topic
Gamma-ray shielding is crucial in various fields, including nuclear technology, medicine, and industry, to protect against harmful radiation. Crosslinked polystyrene-b-polyethyleneglycol (PS-b-PEG) block copolymers have been studied for their potential as radiation shielding materials. The addition of nanostructured particles, such as selenium dioxide (SeO₂) and boron nitride (BN), can enhance the shielding properties of these copolymers. This study investigates the gamma-ray shielding characteristics of PS-b-PEG copolymers blended with SeO₂ and BN particles, focusing on factors such as mass attenuation coefficient (μm), linear attenuation coefficient (μL), radiation protection efficiency (RPE), half-value layer (HVL), tenth-value layer (TVL), and mean free path (MFP).

From: "Radiation Shielding Tests of Crosslinked Polystyrene-b-Polyethyleneglycol Block Copolymers Blended with Nanostructured Selenium Dioxide and Boron Nitride Particles", Nanomaterials 2022, 12(3), 297.
Answer
The PS-b-PEG copolymers blended with nanostructured SeO₂ and BN particles exhibit significant gamma-ray shielding properties. The study found that the addition of SeO₂ and BN particles enhances the resistance of the nanocomposites to gamma radiation. Specifically, the linear attenuation coefficient (μL) and mass attenuation coefficient (μm) values decreased as the gamma-ray energy increased, indicating better shielding performance at lower energies. The half-value layer (HVL) and tenth-value layer (TVL) values increased with gamma-ray energy, while the mean free path (MFP) also increased, indicating that the nanocomposites effectively attenuated gamma rays. The radiation protection efficiency (RPE) was highest at lower gamma-ray energies. The best shielding performance was observed in nanocomposites with higher proportions of SeO₂ and BN particles. The study concludes that these polymer-based nanocomposites are effective gamma-ray shielding materials and can be used in applications such as nuclear power plants, hospitals, and the defense industry.
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