Radiation shielding properties of Fe-Cu@cellulose composites synthesised via sol-gel method for sustainable X-ray protection

Abstract

The growing use of X-rays requires the advancement of radiation protection materials to mitigate the negative effects associated with X-ray exposure. Here, cellulose-based composites were successfully developed with metal (Fe and Cu) as filler, and PVA as an adhesive via sol-gel methods. The enhanced performance of the samples in X-ray shielding was supported by changes in structural-optical properties, such as a high crystallinity index, reduced crystallite size, and broadened phonon modes. The findings in this study show that the 30Fe-70Cu@Cel sample has the highest ability to reduce X-ray radiation, where the performance is attributed to the increase in distance Δ(LO−TO), the increase in peaks in ε2, and higher ELF. The enhanced results of LAC and MAC obtained were (0.33 ± 0.01) cm−1 and (1.02 ± 0.02) cm2/g, respectively, at 80 keV X-ray energy with a thickness of (0.108 ± 0.01) cm. Additionally, the experimental calculation results were compared with the theoretical calculation using the XCOM database, demonstrating a strong agreement. Based on the results obtained, cellulose fibers loaded with Fe and Cu could be a material that is effective in X-ray shielding, lightweight, flexible, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly.

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