Composite based on Poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) with lead-titanate for gamma attenuation

The radioprotective ability of composite materials based on a poly (ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) matrix with dispersed lead titanate filler has been estimated. The filler was obtained from the environmentally friendly synthesis based on exchanging potassium ions for lead in potassium titanates. The gamma ray protective composites have low density, good mechanical qualities and are able to be reprocessed by high-performance extrusion or injection molding techniques. The present work is dedicated to assess mechanical and gamma ray shielding properties of poly (ethylene-vinyl acetate) composites with different lead titanate content (70, 80 and 90 wt percent of lead titanate). The study was carried out for the emission of 137Cs, 60Co and 241Am isotopes with energies 0.6617 MeV, 1.332/1.173 MeV and 0.0595 MeV respectively. The study of radiation-protective properties showed that for 137Cs radiation half value layer for the composite containing 90 wt% of lead titanate is three times higher than for neat lead: 2.1 and 0.7 cm respectively. For the 60Co emission, these values are more close: 1.9 cm for 90 wt% composite and 1.2 cm for lead. The layer of 0.5 cm of composite with 70 % lead titanate almost fully diminishes the low-energetic 241Am radiation, and hence, is superior to lead foil of the same length. Mass attenuation coefficients of 70% composite for 0.6617 MeV, 1.332/1.173 MeV and 0.0595 MeV are 0.088, 0.046 and 2.487 cm2/g respectively. The tensile elongation at fracture decrease is 460% for 70/30 lead titanate/poly (ethylene-vinyl acetate) and is equal to 6% for 90/10 lead titanate/poly (ethylene-vinyl acetate). •Lead titanate (PbTiO3)/EVA composites were synthetized with 70–90 w. % of filler.•X-ray attenuation investigation (with 137Cs, 60Co, 241Am sources) of the composite was carried out.•Mass attenuation coefficient of the lead titanate composites is considerable.•The composites (70−80 wt%) have good mechanical features (modulus, break elongation).•Low mass gamma ray protective layers for medical usage or aerospace applications are possible applications.