Optimization of PbO/Fe3O4/EPDM flexible composites for gamma shielding applications

Abstract

This paper presents the synthesis of flexible EPDM composites with different percentage combinations of Fe3O4 and PbO. The bonding nature between the metal oxides (Fe3O4 and PbO) and the EPDM matrix was examined by FT-IR spectroscopy. The gamma interaction parameters such as linear attenuation coefficient (µ), mass attenuation coefficient (µm), half value layer (HVL) and tenth value layer (TVL) thickness have been determined for all synthesised EPDM composites for 123keV, 360 keVand 1173.2keV by using transmission geometry. FT-IRresults shows that nature of interaction between EPDM matrixandmetal oxide fillers (i.e., PbO and Fe3O4) is not chemical in nature. The declination in the values of ‘µ’ and ‘µm’ were observed with increase in gamma energies. The shielding performance of the prepared EPDM composites is observed to be increases with increase in PbO content. HVL and TVL values are observed to be relatively same for all synthesised composites at 1173.2 keV. Among the prepared composites, EPDM loaded with 40 phr of PbO and 20 phr Fe3O4(DCPM20) is the optimum combination which contains relatively less content of PbO along with better shielding properties for low energy gamma rays. Thus DCPM20 can serves as a better shielding material for low gamma energies.