Gamma-ray shielding parameters analysis for some polymers using Phy-X/PSD and WinXCom

Abstract

In this paper, the characteristics of gamma-ray attenuation of various polymers like PTFE, PMMA, POM and PA-6 were measured using the Phy-X/PSD program and the XCOM program for different sources of gamma radiation like 22Na, 55Fe, 60Co, 109Cd, 131I, 133Ba, 137Cs, 152Eu, and 241Am in the energy range (5.89*10-3 - 2.51 MeV). The linear attenuation coefficient and the effective atomic number for a particular polymer were both decreased as the energy of the photons increased. PTFE (C2F4 ) has the greatest μ and Zeff, as well as the lowest HVL,TVL and MFP, thus, PTFE (C2F4) is most effective in shielding gamma rays than other polymers under study.