Gamma Radiation Shielding and Thermal Properties of the polystyrene /Tungsten (VI) Oxide Composites

Abstract

In the current study, it was shown that polystyrene (PS) composites holding tungsten (VI) oxide were formed in groups (10% to 50%) by radical polymerization. For this goal, the styrene reacted with BPO for 2.5 hours at 70 °C in tetrahydrofuran (THF) to give the consistent polymer. Synthesized PS were defined by FTIR, GPC (Mn = 7900 g/mol PDI = 1.66), SEM and 1H NMR spectroscopy. PS-tungsten (VI) oxide composites formed between 80-85°C. The gamma-ray of composites was calculated using the NaI(Tl) scintillation detector. Linear attenuation coefficients were also estimated hypothetically by the XCOM platform, taking into account the fundamental analysis of composites and comparing them with empirical outcomes. Among the composites studied, the best protective material was PS -50% W03 with lower absorption thicknesses and a higher linear slimming coefficient. Thermal degradation of unirradiated and irradiated polymer composites has also been examined.