Impact of Nano CoFe <sub>1.75</sub> Er <sub>0.25</sub> O <sub>4</sub> Loading Ratios on the Dielectric and Radiation Shielding Properties of Polyvinyl Chloride Polymer
Zein K. Heiba, Mohamed Bakr Mohamed, Ali Badawi
Abstract
Our research described in this paper was aimed to modify the dielectric and radiation shielding characteristics of polyvinyl chloride (PVC)/x wt % CoFe1.75Er0.25O4 (CFEO) composites to be used in modern applications. PVC polymer loaded with nano CFEO were fabricated by a casting process. The structural and morphological attributes of PVC/x wt % CoFe1.75Er0.25O4 composites were evaluated utilizing X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy techniques. The dielectric characteristics were evaluated via an Inductance, L, Capacitance, C, and Resistance, R (LCR) meter bridge. The dielectric constant and ac conductivity of PVC exhibited a maximum value when it was doped with 1 wt % CFEO. The energy density of the PVC polymer exhibited an irregular drop after being doped with various ratio amounts of CFEO. The radiation shielding aspects were investigated applying the Phy-X/Photon Shielding and Dosimetry (PSD) software. All samples exhibited relatively elevated mass-attenuation coefficient (MAC) values: x = 0 (10.45 cm2/g), x = 0.5 (12.2 cm2/g), x = 1 (13.88 cm2/g), x = 2 (17.07 cm2/g), and x = 3 (20.05 cm2/g) at lower energies, specifically 15 keV, signifying a pronounced photoelectric effect. The MAC rose from 0.0898 cm2/g (x = 0) to 0.0918 cm2/g (x = 5) as the energy rose to 0.5 MeV. The linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) values at 15 keV for all composites exhibit a notable rise with elevated concentrations of CFEO doping: 14.63, 17.35, 20.07, 25.45, and 30.80 cm−1 for samples with x = 0, 0.5, 1, 2, and 3 wt%, respectively. At 15 keV, the mean-free path (MFP) values for samples with x = 0, 0.5, 1, 2, and 3 wt % were approximately 0.068, 0.058, 0.049, 0.039, and 0.033 cm, respectively. At 1 MeV, the MFP value for the same samples increased to 10.934, 10.774, 10.618, 10.318 and 10.035 cm, respectively. The effects of doping amount on the Exposure Buildup Factor (EBF) and the Energy Absorption Buildup Factor (EABF) were also explored.