Journal article // Nexus of Future Materials






A study of the morphological, structural, and shielding properties of epoxy-W composite materials
January 2024  //  DOI: 10.70128/584044
A. A. Rotkovich, D. I. Tishkevich, S. A. German, A. A. Bondaruk, E. S. Dashkevich + 1 more author

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A study of the morphological, structural, and shielding properties of epoxy\u002DW composite  materials Image
Abstract

Composite materials were produced using the chemical curing method, with varying tungsten
(W) content ranging from 0 to 80%, and based on epoxy resin. Analysis of the sample's
microstructure indicated that as the W content increased, there was a more even distribution
of grains within the epoxy resin matrix. However, for samples with a content up to 40%, there
was a tendency for the W grains to cluster together. Statistical analysis of the W grain sizes
revealed a probable diameter of 481 nm. The effective and relative densities of the
experimental samples were determined via the Archimedes method. The effective density
varied with the content of W powder, while the relative density ranged from 92% to 95%,
indicating a lack of significant defects. X-ray diffraction analysis showed the presence of the
main bulk-centered cubic W and WO2 phases, suggesting the oxidation of W in the material's
surface layer. Through the Phy-X/PSD software, the gamma radiation shielding efficiency of
the composite materials was evaluated. Samples containing 60% and 80% W were found to
be the most effective for radiation shielding. The addition of W powder to the epoxy matrix
resulted in a 3.6-fold decrease in the half-value layer at a gamma-ray emission energy of 1.250
MeV. These findings demonstrate the high efficacy of the suggested composite materials for
gamma-ray shielding applications, making them suitable for use as radiation shields.

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