A simulation study on neutron radiation shielding in space conditions

The work studies the possibility of using a polymer composite based on polytetrafluoroethylene and modified radiation shielding fillers for protection against neutron radiation in space conditions. The physico-mechanical properties of the composite are presented, as well as the simulation of the neutron radiation passage through the polymer composite is performed by the Monte Carlo method using the GEANT4 software toolkit. The polymer composite proposed has high structural properties necessary for use in the space sphere. The Vickers hardness for a load of 200 g is 12.11, the erosion wear is 0.049 center dot 10- 3 mm3/g, the density is 4232 kg/m3. The most effective thickness of the protective layer to attenuate the intensity of neutron radiation is 8 cm, to reduce the equivalent dose of 30 g/cm2. The thickness of the protective layer made of the proposed polymer composite against cosmic radiation is 35% less than that of aluminum and 77% less than that of polyethylene, which is a very important factor for using the material in spacecrafts because of extremely limited free space on board. This indicates the prospects of its use for neutron radiation shielding at high energies to achieve complete and effective protection of astronauts and spacecraft equipment.

Automated summary

This work explores the possibility of using a polymer composite to protect against neutron radiation in space conditions. The study shows that the proposed polymer composite has high structural properties necessary for use in space. Monte Carlo simulation is used to evaluate the neutron radiation passage through the material. The results demonstrate that the protective layer made of the polymer composite is thinner and more suitable for spacecraft, which is crucial due to limited space on board.