Design and numerical simulation of a nanostructured ultraviolet shield for radiation protection applications using COMSOL

Abstract

Nanostructured UV shields for radiation protection applications were designed and simulated using the COMSOL Multiphysics commercial package. Nanostructured shields were designed and their ability to absorb UV rays was investigated using a group of nanocomposites. The Nano-shields were built using nanocomposites designed of polymer blends with nanoparticles added to enhance their ability to absorb UV rays. In this study, two types of polymer blends were simulated: Carboxymethylcellulose - Polyvinyl Pyrrolidone - Polyvinyl Alcohol (CMC-PVP-PVA) and Polyvinyl Alcohol - Polyethylene Glycol - Polyvinyl Pyrrolidone (PVA-PEG-PVP), with two types of nanoparticles added to each polymer blend: (Fe3O4) nanoparticles and (Pb) nanoparticles with different particle sizes (25, 50, 75, 100) nm. The simulation results showed that the nanocomposite (PVA-PEG-PVP-Fe3O4) with a size of 100 nm for (Fe3O4) nanoparticles had the best absorbance results, with a total absorbance energy value of 41.11 J and UV absorbance enhanced by 264 % compared to absorbance values of the polymer blends without adding Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The (CMC-PVP-PVA-Pb) nanocomposite with 100 nm for Pb nanoparticles had the best absorbance results, with a total absorbance energy value of 106.13 J and UV ray's absorbance enhanced by 297 % compared to the absorbance values of the polymer blends without adding lead nanoparticles.