Leather Science and Engineering ›› 2024, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (3): 9-16.doi: 10.19677/j.issn.1004-7964.2024.03.002

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Preparation and Performance of Gd-Ba/Natural Leather Wearable X-ray Shielding Composites

LI Hao1,2, WU Chengcheng1,2, WANG Zhixin3, WANG Yaping1,2,*, LIAO Xuepin1,2,*, SHI Bi1,2   

  1. 1. National Engineering Laboratory for Clean Technology of Leather Manufacture, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China;
    2. Key Laboratory of Leather Chemistry and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China;
    3. Zhongjin Irradiation Chengdu Co., Ltd., Chengdu 611930, China.
  • Received:2023-12-23 Revised:2024-01-18 Accepted:2024-01-19 Published:2024-06-01 Online:2024-04-25

Abstract: To enhance the shielding performance of materials without significantly increasing the thickness, barium (Ba) was initially incorporated into the hierarchical structure of natural leather (NL) through the equal volume impregnation strategy (Ba/NL), and the waterborne polyurethane finishing agent with well-dispersed nano-gadolinium-oxide (Gd2O3) was uniformly coated on the grain surface of Ba/NL to fabricate X-ray shielding material (Gd-Ba/NL). X-ray shielding performance results showed that the 1.5-mm-thick Gd1.80-Ba2.32/NL could provide an equivalent level of shielding efficiency to 2.6-mm-thick Ba2.32/NL . The synergistic effect of Gd and Ba contributed to a shielding efficiency exceeding 70% for the X-rays in the energy range of 16-48 keV, and provided a comparable mass attenuation coefficient for the X-rays in the energy of 65 and 83 keV to that of 0.25 mm lead plate. Furthermore, Gd1.80-Ba2.32/NL exhibited several advantages, including superior wearable comfortableness and excellent mechanical strength. Notably, it possessed a density that is only 1/3 of lead apron, while offering a water vapor permeability 12 times higher than that of lead apron. Its tensile strength and tearing strength surpassed national standards by 2 and 3 folds, respectively. Consequently, Gd1.80-Ba2.32/NL holds great potential as a wearable X-ray shielding material capable of replacing traditional lead apron.

Key words: natural leather, barium, gadolinium, wearable, X-ray shielding material

CLC Number: