<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<italic>Introduction:</italic> The present study aimed to investigate the radiation protection properties of silicon-based composites doped with nano-sized Bi2O3, PbO, Sm2O3, Gd2O3, WO3, and IrO2 particles. Radiation shielding properties of Sm2O3 and IrO2 nanoparticles were investigated for the first time in the current study.
<italic>Material and methods:</italic> The MCNPX (2.7.0) Monte Carlo code was utilized to calculate the linear attenuation coefficients of single and multi-nano structured composites over the X-ray energy range of 10–140 keV. Homogenous distribution of spherical nanoparticles with a diameter of 100 nm in a silicon rubber matrix was simulated. The narrow beam geometry was used to calculate the photon flux after attenuation by designed nanocomposites.
<italic>Results:</italic> Based on results obtained for single nanoparticle composites, three combinations of different nano-sized fillers Sm2O3+WO3+Bi2O3, Gd2O3+WO3+Bi2O3, and Sm2O3+WO3+PbO were selected, and their shielding properties were estimated. In the energy range of 20-60 keV Sm2O3 and Gd2O3 nanoparticles, in 70-100 keV energy range WO3 and for photons energy higher than 90 keV, PbO and Bi2O3 nanoparticles showed higher attenuation. Despite its higher density, IrO2 had lower attenuation compared to other nanocomposites. The results showed that the nanocomposite containing Sm2O3, WO3, and Bi2O3 nanoparticles provided better shielding among the studied samples.
<italic>Conclusions:</italic> All studied multi-nanoparticle nanocomposites provided optimum shielding properties and almost 8% higher attenuation relative to single nano-based composites over a wide range of photon energy used in diagnostic radiology. Application of these new composites is recommended in radiation protection. Further experimental studies are suggested to validate our findings.
</abstract>

Introduction: The present study aimed to investigate the radiation protection properties of silicon-based composites doped with nano-sized Bi2O3, PbO, Sm2O3, Gd2O3, WO3, and IrO2 particles. Radiation shielding properties of Sm2O3 and IrO2 nanoparticles were investigated for the first time in the current study.
Material and methods: The MCNPX (2.7.0) Monte Carlo code was utilized to calculate the linear attenuation coefficients of single and multi-nano structured composites over the X-ray energy range of 10–140 keV. Homogenous distribution of spherical nanoparticles with a diameter of 100 nm in a silicon rubber matrix was simulated. The narrow beam geometry was used to calculate the photon flux after attenuation by designed nanocomposites.
Results: Based on results obtained for single nanoparticle composites, three combinations of different nano-sized fillers Sm2O3+WO3+Bi2O3, Gd2O3+WO3+Bi2O3, and Sm2O3+WO3+PbO were selected, and their shielding properties were estimated. In the energy range of 20-60 keV Sm2O3 and Gd2O3 nanoparticles, in 70-100 keV energy range WO3 and for photons energy higher than 90 keV, PbO and Bi2O3 nanoparticles showed higher attenuation. Despite its higher density, IrO2 had lower attenuation compared to other nanocomposites. The results showed that the nanocomposite containing Sm2O3, WO3, and Bi2O3 nanoparticles provided better shielding among the studied samples.
Conclusions: All studied multi-nanoparticle nanocomposites provided optimum shielding properties and almost 8% higher attenuation relative to single nano-based composites over a wide range of photon energy used in diagnostic radiology. Application of these new composites is recommended in radiation protection. Further experimental studies are suggested to validate our findings.

A comprehensive Monte Carlo study to design a novel multi-nanoparticle loaded nanocomposites for augmentation of attenuation coefficient in the energy range of diagnostic X-rays

Radio-oncology Department, Shahid Madani Hospital

Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Medical Radiation Sciences Research Team, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences

Polish Journal of Medical Physics and Engineering

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Introduction: The present study aimed to investigate the radiation protection properties of silicon-based composites doped with nano-sized Bi2O3, PbO, Sm2O3,...

A comprehensive Monte Carlo study to design a novel multi-nanoparticle loaded nanocomposites for augmentation of attenuation coefficient in the energy range of diagnostic X-rays

Published Online: Dec 23, 2021

Page range: 279 - 289

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/pjmpe-2021-0033

Keywords
nanocomposite, radiation, attenuation coefficient, diagnostic X- rays, MCNPX

© 2021 Elahe Sayyadi et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

A comprehensive Monte Carlo study to design a novel multi-nanoparticle loaded nanocomposites for augmentation of attenuation coefficient in the energy range of diagnostic X-rays

Published Online: Dec 23, 2021

Page range: 279 - 289

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/pjmpe-2021-0033

Keywordsnanocomposite, radiation, attenuation coefficient, diagnostic X- rays, MCNPX

© 2021 Elahe Sayyadi et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
nanocomposite, radiation, attenuation coefficient, diagnostic X- rays, MCNPX