Preparation and structure investigation of polyethylene terephthalate polyester reinforced Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles for gamma ray shielding performance

Abstract

Abstract Defects of high atomic materials gamma-ray shielding such as low chemical stability, low mechanical properties, and heaviness lead us to investigate other light and flexible materials such as polymers. Polymer-doped nanosized materials are the most frequently examined materials. In this study, polyethylene terephthalate [(C10H8O4)n] was doped with Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles up to 40 wt% (0.0, 10.0, 20.0, 40.0 wt%) prepared by Sol-Gel auto-combustion method with the help of Gelatin. The polyester/Nanofiller composite structures were identified using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Scanning, and Transmission electron microscope as well as density measurements. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the successful doping of nanofiller in the polyester structure as Zn signals appear in the atomic composition and Fe signals appear in the deconvolution of the peaks. X-ray diffraction, transmission, and scanning electron microscope display the same result. X-ray diffraction graph information with the Scherer equation offered the crystal size of the composite (26 nm). Polyester/nanofiller samples were scanned against gamma-ray and experimental shielding factors were computed using a narrow beam transmission technique with sodium iodide detector and two-point sources Cs-137 and Co-60. Experimental Linear and mass attenuation coefficient values swelled as percentages of nanofiller increased in the polyester structure. Experimental Mass attenuation values were compared with theoretical ones estimated from XCOM and Physics-X programs. The difference between them does not exceed 12% which is acceptable as the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy atomic composition utilized in the theoretical data calculation does not reveal Ni signals. This may occur at the depth of the composite structure. Finally, the half-value layer, the Tenth value layer, and the Mean free path are determined experimentally, and their values are reduced as the nanofiller doping percentage rises in the structure. This result confirms the efficiency of nanofiller addition to the polyester structure to attenuate gamma-ray.