Abstract
Nuclear energy provides enduring power to space vehicles, but special attention should be paid to radiation shielding during the development and use of nuclear energy systems. In this paper, novel composite materials containing poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK) as a substrate and different tungsten contents as a reinforcing agent were developed and tested as shielding for gamma-ray radiation. Shielding test bodies were quickly processed by fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing, and their mechanical, shielding properties of composite materials were evaluated. The results revealed shielding materials with excellent mechanical properties which can further be improved by heat treatment. Under 0.45 MPa load, the heat deflection temperature of PEEK/tungsten (metal) composites was significantly lower than that of PEEK/boron carbide (non-metal) composites. The new shielding materials also demonstrated better shielding of low-energy 137Cs than high-energy 60Co. The gamma-ray shielding rates of test pieces shielding materials made of the same thickness changed exponentially with the tungsten content present in the composite materials. More tungsten led to a better shielding effect. At the same tungsten content, the gamma-ray shielding effect showed a proportional relationship with the thickness of the shielding test bodies, in which thicker test bodies induced better shielding effects. In sum, the integration of 3D printing in the mechanical design and manufacturing of shielding bodies is an effective and promising way for quick processing when considering diverse rays and complex environments. Lighter shielding bodies, at lower costs, can be achieved by structural design in limited space to maximize the material utilization rate and reduce waste.
Highlights
Space nuclear power systems offer lasting power sources for space exploration but increase the possibility of exposure to nuclear radiation for both the astronauts and electronic equipment [1,2,3]
Tensile and Flexural Properties n n test pieces were made according to GB/T 1040.2-2006 and Qualified fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printed and processed
3.1.1.thrust, Tensilethe and Properties of wire melted colloids became wrapped on the surface of tungsten, irregularly filling the shaped voids
Summary
Space nuclear power systems offer lasting power sources for space exploration but increase the possibility of exposure to nuclear radiation for both the astronauts and electronic equipment [1,2,3]. 20th century, accidents caused by space nuclear power sources for both the United States and Russia have engendered irreversible damage to humans, space equipment, and the environment on earth. The radiation responsible for such damages has been gradually identified [4,5], in which gamma-rays and neutron radiation possess strong penetrating abilities, thereby deserve special attention when dealing with shielding problems. The exposure of the human body to gamma-ray radiation would likely result in damage at the cellar level, altering the whole body mechanism. The development of new Materials 2020, 13, 4475; doi:10.3390/ma13204475 www.mdpi.com/journal/materials
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