Transparent sodium polytungstate polyoxometalate aquatic shields toward effective X-ray radiation protection: Alternative to lead glasses

Transparent lead glasses are vital equipment for protecting the radiation personnel and people against harmful radiation sources for applications requiring line-of-sight, such as diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine, and nuclear fuel processing. However, the low chemical stability, toxicity, and heaviness of lead-based shields highlighted the requirement for a lighter, economic, and lead-free transparent radiation shield capable of safeguarding vulnerable people from hazardous radiation sources. Herein, we addressed this vital requirement by developing a transparent aquatic shield reinforced with sodium polytungstate (SPT) polyoxometalate (POM) as a dense inorganic compound for X-ray radiation shielding. Accordingly, the aquatic shield is economical, easily processable, lighter than Pb, and presents superior shielding performance even at low filler loadings. The as developed aquatic shield holding 10 g SPT POM can block more than 96.34 %, 94.91 %, 93.94 %, and 93.30 % of incident X-ray waves with the energy of 70, 80, 90, and 100 kV, respectively. Likewise, the shield also showed transparency of more than 96 %, making it ideal for applications requiring line-of-sight. Moreover, the outcome of the simulations with MCNPX Monte Carlo code exhibited a proper correlation with experimental data, validating the outcome of experimental assessments. The shield also exhibited stronger shielding effectiveness than Pb glasses at the equivalent thickness, highlighting the superior role of the tungstens atoms within the POM structure toward attenuation of incident X-ray radiations. Obtained outcomes vividly illuminated the ideal practicality of as-developed aquatic shields for clinical radiation shielding and protecting living species from harmful radiation sources.

Automated summary

Transparent aquatic shields reinforced with sodium polytungstate polyoxometalate have been developed as a lighter, economic, and lead-free alternative to traditional lead-based shields. These shields demonstrate superior shielding performance and transparency, making them ideal for applications requiring line-of-sight.