Abstract
In an attempt to develop an alternate to lead-based X-ray shielding material, we describe the X-ray attenuation property of nanocomposites containing Gd2O3 as nanofiller and silicone resin as matrix, prepared by a simple solution-casting technique. Gd2O3 nanoparticles of size 30 and 56 nm are used at concentrations of 25 and 2.5 wt%. The nanoparticles and the nanocomposites are characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies, small angle X-ray spectroscopy (SAXS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The X-ray attenuation property of nanocomposites, studied using an industrial X-ray unit, shows that nanocomposites containing nanoparticles of size 56 nm (G2) exhibit better attenuation than nanocomposites containing nanoparticles of size 30 nm (G1), which is attributed to the greater interfacial interaction between the G2 nanofillers and silicone matrix. In the case of nanocomposites containing G1 nanoparticles, the interfacial interaction between the nanofiller and the matrix is so weak that it results in pulling out of nanofillers, causing voids in the matrix, which act as X-ray transparent region, thereby reducing the overall X-ray attenuation property of G1 nanocomposites. This is further corroborated from the AFM images of the nanocomposites. The weight loss and heat flow curves of pure silicone matrix and the nanocomposites containing Gd2O3 nanoparticles of size 30 and 56 nm show the degradation of silicone resin, due to chain scission, between 403 and 622 °C. The same onset temperature (403 °C) of degradation of matrix with and without nanoparticles shows that the addition of nanofillers to the matrix does not deteriorate the thermal stability of the matrix. This confirms the thermal stability of nanocomposites. Therefore, our study shows that nanocomposites containing G2 nanoparticles are potential candidates for the development of X-ray opaque fabric material.
Highlights
Nanomaterials are drawing great attention as an alternate to lead-based radiation shielding material, as lead is a potent occupational toxin that exhibits several toxicological manifestations such as persistent vomiting, encephalopathy, lethargy, delirium, convulsions and coma (Flora et al 2012; Kiran 2015; La et al 2016)
In an attempt to develop an alternate to leadbased X-ray shielding material, we describe the X-ray attenuation property of nanocomposites containing Gd2O3 as nanofiller and silicone resin as matrix, prepared by a simple solution-casting technique
Both G1 and G2 nanoparticles exhibit the diffraction peaks corresponding to Bragg reflections from (211), (222), (400), (411), (431), (440), (611), (622), (444) and (662) crystal planes, which can be indexed to the cubic structure of Gd2O3 nanoparticles (JCPDS Card No.01-0736280)
Summary
Nanomaterials are drawing great attention as an alternate to lead-based radiation shielding material, as lead is a potent occupational toxin that exhibits several toxicological manifestations such as persistent vomiting, encephalopathy, lethargy, delirium, convulsions and coma (Flora et al 2012; Kiran 2015; La et al 2016). Ion in gadolinium oxide possesses seven unpaired electrons in the 4f orbital with an electron spin of 7/2 (Ahren et al 2012) It exhibits a long electronic relaxation time of 10-8– 10-9 s, with a large magnetic moment (Gayathri et al 2015). Gd2O3 nanoparticles find applications in bioimaging (when tagged with fluorescent dyes) (Dosev et al 2006), in magnetic resonance imaging as contrast agent (Fortin et al 2007; Khan et al 2014) and in drug delivery (Khan et al 2014). They are used as neutron convertors in imaging plate neutron detector (Bhattacharyya and Agrawal 1995; Gunduz and Uslu 1996; Khan et al 2014), as additives in UO2 fuel rods (Gunduz and Uslu 1996; Khan et al 2014), in ZrO2 to enhance its toughness (Bhattacharyya and Agrawal 1995; Chen 1996; Khan et al 2014), as a radiosensitizer (Duc et al 2011; Miladi et al 2015; Mowat et al 2011; Rancoule et al 2016; Rima et al 2013), as a catalyst (Hussein 1994; Perevalov et al 2014) and dopants for laser (Perevalov et al 2014) and colourants (Perevalov et al 2014) for special glasses
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