Gamma, X-ray and neutron shielding properties of polymer concretes

Abstract

We have studied the X-ray and gamma radiation shielding parameters such as mass attenuation coefficient, linear attenuation coefficient, half value layer, tenth value layer, effective atomic numbers, electron density, exposure buildup factors, relative dose, dose rate and specific gamma ray constant in some polymer based concretes such as sulfur polymer concrete, barium polymer concrete, calcium polymer concrete, flourine polymer concrete, chlorine polymer concrete and germanium polymer concrete. The neutron shielding properties such as coherent neutron scattering length, incoherent neutron scattering lengths, coherent neutron scattering cross section, incoherent neutron scattering cross sections, total neutron scattering cross section and neutron absorption cross sections in the polymer concretes have been studied. The shielding properties among the studied different polymer concretes have been compared. From the detail study, it is clear that barium polymer concrete is good absorber for X-ray, gamma radiation and neutron. The attenuation parameters for neutron are large for chlorine polymer concrete. Hence, we suggest barium polymer concrete and chlorine polymer concrete are the best shielding materials for X-ray, gamma and neutrons.