Monte Carlo simulations of gamma-rays shielding with phthalonitrile - tungsten borides composites

Recently, it has been demonstrated that thermosetting polymer composites have excellent gamma-rays shielding properties. Among them, phthalonitrile composites are the best suitable materials to replace the traditional shielding materials such as lead and concrete. Furthermore, tungsten-boride as high Z-material is an effective ionizing radiation shield.

The gamma rays shielding properties of the phthalonitrile matrix (PH) reinforced with tungsten-boride (WB) at 661, 1172, and 1332 keV photon energies were investigated using MCNPX code and XCOM tool kit and compared to those of concrete as conventional shielding material and epoxy composites. MCNPX geometry was defined along the z-axis and described in the input file. The number of emitted photons was fixed at 107 at the source, which is supposed to be a monoenergetic point.

The simulated mass attenuation coefficients results are in good agreement with those calculated using the XCOM tool kit. Also, it was observed that at 661 keV photon energy, the shielding performances in term of Half-Value-Layer (HVL) are enhanced by3.08% and 22.01% for 30% and 50% of tungsten-boride concentrations compared to 30% of PbO concentration in the Epoxy-Clay composite and concrete respectively.

In this study, the outstanding results of gamma-rays shielding properties of Phthalonitrile/WB composites (PHWB) obtained using MCNPX code and XCOM can be used for future experimental gamma-rays shielding approaches at a wide range of energy.