Comparison of Shielding Material Dispersion Characteristics and Shielding Efficiency for Manufacturing Medical X-ray Shielding Barriers

Abstract

During medical diagnoses, X-ray shielding barriers are used to protect against direct and indirect X-rays. Currently, lead is used as the primary material for shielding barriers; however, the demand for eco-friendly shielding barriers has been increasing. Conventionally, shielding barriers are manufactured using a mechanically bonded combination of lead and aluminum; however, in this study, a plastic-based injection-molded product was developed using tungsten as an eco-friendly alternative to lead. A new process technology was required for mixing tungsten—which can be difficult to process—with a polymer. Consequently, the mixing conditions within the injection molding machine and the related compounding technology factors were analyzed. The process technology considered the pre-mixing method using powdery polymer, particle dispersion method, number of screw rotations, and amount of filler input. The product’s shielding performance was then analyzed. The tungsten content of the 2-mm thick barrier manufactured using the proposed method was 90 wt%, and the lead equivalent was 0.321 mmPb. To increase the effectiveness of injection molding in the manufacturing process, specific hourly compounding conditions were proposed. Consequently, the process technology method developed in this study can be considered suitable for manufacturing various shielding barriers.

Research Progress with Membrane Shielding Materials for Electromagnetic/Radiation Contamination

“…With the rapid development of the nuclear energy industry, α, β, x, γ, neutrons and other rays were widely used in medical detection, aerospace, nuclear submarines, nuclear power generation, nondestructive testing, the military, as well as in agriculture and industry [ 88 , 89 , 90 ]. Although the application of radiation plays a great role in promoting human development and is becoming increasingly important, the existing radiation hazards can not be ignored, as shown in Figure 5 .…”

“…Alpha rays are comprised of mainly helium nuclei, and some radioactive heavy elements will emit alpha particles through alpha decay, thus becoming photons. Once alpha particles are inhaled or injected into the human body, they can destroy the cells of internal organs [ 90 ]. Beta rays are a type of charged particle that moves at high speed and is released during the radioactive decay of a nuclide.…”

“…At the same time, the damaged body was susceptible to severe infection. Therefore, providing effective protection against radiation has a critical role in protecting human health and environmental safety [ 88 , 89 , 90 , 91 , 92 , 93 , 94 , 95 ]. In order to minimize the risk of potential adverse effects arising from excessive radiation exposure, appropriate and effective radiation shielding materials must be utilized in all facilities with radiation to reduce the radiation damage of the target site, especially for the health protection of operators.…”

How efficient are metal‐polymer and dual‐metals‐polymer non‐lead radiation shields?

“…7,10,11 For the purpose of weight reduction and to eliminate the lead health hazards and environmental pollution, the replacement of other materials instead of lead in radiation protection aprons has been considered. 12 The materials include tungsten (W), Bismuth oxide (Bi 2 O 3 ), Barium sulphate (BaSO 4 ) and tin (Sn) which increase the radiation attenuation at a certain range of energies due to the K-edge absorption and are commonly used in the manufacture of the radiation protection aprons. 10,13,14 The wide range of X-ray energies cause difficulty in selecting efficient shielding materials according to K-edge absorption.…”

Influence of Parameters and Performance Evaluation of 3D-Printed Tungsten Mixed Filament Shields

“…In this case, lead is a metal element with high density and a high atomic number that has an excellent reaction rate and shielding power to photons [ 6 , 7 ] However, the use of lead shields for radiation protection is decreasing due to environmental problems and safety. Consequently, research on the development of lead-free radiation shielding bodies using ecofriendly materials is currently being conducted [ 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]. Typically, tungsten has a higher density than lead, and hence it does not react with particles and has no toxicity due to its larger attenuation coefficient.…”