Flexible Low‐Melting Point Radiation Shielding Materials: Soft Elastomers with GaInSnPbBi High‐Entropy Alloy Inclusions
Kaizhao Wang, Kaizhao Wang, Jin Hu, Tianyou Chen, Weijun Zhang, Hongtao Fan, Yongjin Feng, Ziqiang Zhao, Kaijun Wang, Kaijun Wang
Abstract
Abstract A polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrix soft elastic composite material with low‐melting‐point GaInSnPbBi high‐entropy alloy (LHEA) inclusions is prepared to evaluate its radiation shielding performance. The LHEA is composed of two different three‐component eutectic microstructures, which are grown in a mixed manner to form a complex eutectic structure. The inclusions have excellent mechanical properties that matched the deformation of the PDMS matrix. To evaluate the interaction of the shielding material with photons, the Monte Carlo N ‐Particle Extended and XCOM codes are used to determine the shielding parameters of the LHEA/PDMS composites, such as mass attenuation coefficient, linear attenuation coefficient, half‐value layer, tenth value layer, mean free path, and effective atomic number. The composite with 50‐vol% LHEA has the best radiation shielding properties, validated by medical X‐ray imaging experiments. The excellent shielding properties of the flexible lightweight composites are attributed to the higher mass attenuation coefficient of the LHEA inclusions than that of lead.