| Abstract [eng] |
The rapid increase in the use of ionizing radiation in industry and medicine poses new challenges for protecting workers and patients from its harmful effects. The detrimental impact of ionizing radiation on biological objects necessitates the use of shielding elements with adequate radiation absorption properties. Lead, a widely available and relatively inexpensive material, is commonly used in these shielding elements. However, despite its effective absorption of ionizing radiation, lead has several drawbacks, including its weight, low elasticity, high toxicity, and high recycling costs. This thesis aims to develop and evaluate lead-free polymer composites with efficient X-ray absorption in the range of medical diagnostic energies (40-141 keV) for use in a wide range of radiation protection structures. The thesis delves into the fabrication and analysis methods of lead-free polymer composites, the intricacies of X-ray interaction with the material, considering the photon beam geometry. It also explores X-ray attenuation in polymer composites and photon absorption processes in multilayer polymer structures. The thesis findings demonstrate that polymer composites can be a viable alternative to lead in radiation protection applications. Polymer composites exhibited efficient X-ray absorption properties and mechanical robustness. The thesis analyses theoretical and experimental results on the attenuation of ionizing radiation in polymer composites with metal or metal compound fillers and evaluates the buildup factor as a parameter of radiation efficiency related to radiation scattering in monolayer and multilayered structures. |
