Study Attenuation Parameters and Physical Properties of Silicone Rubber Reinforced with Nano- and Micro-Sized Aluminum Oxide Composites

Abstract

Theoretical and practical research has been done on reinforced polymer composites, a more recent type of improved shielding material. This study examined the protective qualities of silicone rubber packed with nano- and micro-sized Al2O3. Aspects like the effective atomic number, mean free path, linear attenuation coefficient, and mass attenuation coefficient are used to evaluate these shielding materials. In terms of weight percentage and size, Al2O3 particles have been used to reinforce silicone rubber. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, UV visible spectrometer, thermal analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy have been investigated. The results show that aluminum oxide nanoparticles have a more homogeneous distribution within the samples than micro aluminum oxide particles, which is due to the fact that nanoparticles have a very large surface area-to-volume ratio when compared to the same material in bulk. As a result, the sample containing 40% by weight of nano Al2O3 has the largest attenuation coefficient value and the lowest half value layer (HVL), tenth value layer (TVL), and mean free path (MFP) values. Finally, it can be concluded that the sample containing nano Al2O3 can be utilized to create an innovative and versatile silicone rubber material. This material holds great potential for the manufacturing of gloves and protective jackets, specifically designed for radiation and nuclear shielding applications.