Study of the shielding properties for some composite materials manufactured from polymer epoxy supported by cement, aluminum, iron and lead against gamma rays of the cobalt radioactive source (Co-60)

ABSTRACT In this research, we have study the shielding properties against gamma rays with energy (0.662MeV) emitted from the radioactive source of (Cs-137) for the shields of epoxy polymer supported by cement, aluminum and lead using a Geiger-Muller Counter tube detector. The numerical buildup factor and the linear attenuation coefficient were accounted as a function for the concentration of lead in shields in range of (5-50%), and as well as the numerical buildup factor and the linear attenuation coefficient as a function of the shield thickness of shields that supported by concentration of (50%) of iron powder in the range of (6 - 30)mm. The results showed a decrease in the buildup factor and increase in the linear attenuation with increase the concentration, while the observed increase in the buildup factor and in the linear attenuation coefficient with increase the thickness of shields in the certain concentration of (50%). Effect of adding other substances as Iron and adding more substance to strengthen the epoxy has also been study in this work with concentration rate of (50%) for each case. Study of the buildup factor and the attenuation coefficient for all shields samples with concentration (50%) Showed that the buildup factor value is greater as possible and that the value of the attenuation coefficient is little as possible in case pure epoxy (without any substance addition), and little as possible of the buildup factor value and greater as possible of the attenuation coefficient value in case of strengthening the epoxy with concentration (50%) of equal blocks mixture of lead, iron, aluminum and cement powders.