Volcanic Rock Reinforced Epoxy Composites for Gamma Ray Shielding

Öz

In the present study, gamma ray shielding capability of epoxy resin polymer matrix was tried to enhance with three volcanic rock powders collected from different regions of Van, Turkey. The chemical contents of the volcanic rocks were determined by X-ray Fluorescence spectroscopy.  The novel epoxy/volcanic rock composites were prepared with different volcanic rock contents varying from 0 % wt. to 40% wt. The gamma ray shielding performances of the samples were measured experimentally by NaI(Tl) detector for the photons with of 81 keV and 356 keV energies emitted from Ba-133 point radioactive source. The abilities of the samples to shield gamma radiation were evaluated in terms their mass attenuation coefficient, half layer value thickness and mean free path distance. It was determined that the low cost epoxy/volcanic rock  composites have a promising potential to be utilized as a radiation shielding medium for the gamma rays.  In particular, among all volcanic rock additives the volcanic rock additive having the highest hematite content gained the best gamma ray shielding ability to pure epoxy for both photon energies.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Epoxy Resin,Volcanic Rock,Composites,Mass attenuation coefficient,HVL

Gama Işını Koruması için Volkanik Kaya İle Güçlendirilmiş Epoksi Kompozitler

Öz

Bu çalışmada, epoksi reçine polimer matrisinin gama ışını koruma kabiliyeti Van'ın farklı bölgelerinden toplanan üç volkanik kaya tozu ile arttırılmaya çalışılmıştır. Volkanik kayaçların kimyasal içerikleri X-ışını Floresans spektroskopisi ile belirlenmiştir. Ağırlıkça % 0’dan 40'a kadar değişen oranlarda volkanik kaya içeren yeni epoksi / volkanik kaya kompozitler hazırlanmıştır. Numunelerin gama ışını koruma performansları, Ba-133 nokta radyoaktif kaynaktan yayılan 81 keV ve 356 keV enerjili fotonlar için deneysel olarak NaI (Tl) detektörü ile ölçülmüştür. Numunelerin gama radyasyonunu koruma yetenekleri kütle zayıflama katsayısı, yarı tabaka değeri kalınlığı ve ortalama serbest yol mesafesi açısından değerlendirilmiştir. Düşük maliyetli epoksi / volkanik kaya kompozitlerinin, gama ışınları için radyasyon koruyucu bir ortam olarak kullanılacak umut verici bir potansiyele sahip olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Özellikle, tüm volkanik kaya katkı maddeleri arasında, en yüksek hematit içeriğine sahip olan volkanik kaya katkı maddesi, her iki foton enerjisinde saf epoksiye  en iyi gama ışını koruma kabiliyetini kazanmıştır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Epoksi reçine,Volkanik Kaya,Kompozitler,Kütle Zayıflatma Katsayısı,HVL

Kaynakça

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