Effect of Fe3O4 in enhancement optical and gamma ray absorption properties of geopolymer apron cassava starch/black carbon/glycerin

Geopolymer apron cassava starch/BC/Fe3O4/glycerin has been synthesized for various amount of Fe3O4 (0.5%, 1%, and 1.5%) into cassava starch and black carbon (BC) solutions. The quantitative analysis from Fourier transforms infra-red (FTIR) was used to determine the optical properties, dielectric function, energy loss function, attenuation constant, and propagation constant. The higher value of the distance between two optical ((LO-TO)) phonon vibration, attenuation constant, propagation constant was strong correlation with higher absorption properties and higher mechanical properties. The effectiveness of radiation shielding also from the density, linear attenuation coefficient (μ), mass attenuation coefficient (μs), half value layer (HVL), and mean free path (MFP) from gamma radiation source IBT 103 Cs 137. The attenuation was 0.178 cm−1, sample density was 0.984 g/cm3, HVL value was 3.893 cm, and MPF was 5.618 cm. The best characteristic in supporting composite performance as an apron applications are for 1.5% Fe3O4 in the composite. This study shows that the FTIR spectra could be useful for determining the optical properties, phonon vibration, dielectric function, energy loss function, attenuation constant, and propagation constant of composite apron cassava starch/BC/Fe3O4/glycerin. •The ((LO-TO)), attenuation, propagation consistent with absorption and mechanical properties.•Attenuation 0.178 cm−1, density 0.984 g/cm3, HVL 3.893 cm, and MPF 5.618 cm for the best Gamma absorption.•FTIR useful for n and k, ε1 and ε2 (ω), Im (−1/ε1(ω)), phonon vibration attenuation constant, and propagation constant.•The best performances of the composites for the sample with an additional 1.5 g of Fe3O4.