Preparation Of Pvc/Bi2o3 Composites And Their Evaluation As Low Energy X-Ray Radiation Shielding

Plasticized and gamma crosslinked PVC composites were prepared by adding different amounts of Bi2O3 particles to evaluate their low energy X-ray radiation shielding properties. Composites were gamma-irradiated in an industrial irradiator (Co-60 source) at the corresponding times to obtain a dose of 75 kGy to enhance mechanical properties through crosslinking. The shielding properties of composites were obtained by X-ray transmission measurements at low energies (X-ray tube voltages range 20-61 kV) by using a mammography unit and an X-ray hospital equipment. A small influence in the dehydroclorination reaction of PVC was observed during decomposition in TGA experiments due to Bi2O3 nanoparticle content, but DMA results show improved viscoelastic properties for the crosslinked composites. The X-ray transmission values decrease as a function of nanoparticle content, observing an increase in the transmission values (low attenuation) at higher energies. The composite with 50 %wt of Bi2O3 showed the lowest transmission values, at X-ray tube voltages 20-30 kV, the transmittance was almost nil, and then it increases similar to 7% at 61 kV.