Preparation of eGaIn NDs/TPU Composites for X-ray Radiation Shielding Based on Electrostatic Spinning Technology

• Published in: Materials Vol. 17; no. 2; p. 272
• Main Authors: Wang, Jing, Wang, Kaijun, Wu, Jiale, Hu, Jin, Mou, Jiangfeng, Li, Lian, Feng, Yongjin, Deng, Zhongshan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 01.01.2024
• Subjects: Alloys; Atoms & subatomic particles; Attenuation coefficients; Biocompatibility; Composite materials; Diffraction; electrospinning; Electrostatic shielding; Energy; Field emission microscopy; Fourier transforms; Gallium; Lead; liquid metals eGaIn alloys; low-energy X-ray shielding; Medical materials; Phy-X/PSD; polymer composite; Polyurethane resins; Polyurethanes; Radiation; Radiation shielding; Scanning electron microscopy; Software; Spectrum analysis; Thermoplastics; Urethane thermoplastic elastomers; WinXCom; X-rays; China; Japan; low-energy X-ray shielding; Phy-X/PSD; polymer composite; liquid metals eGaIn alloys; electrospinning; WinXCom
• ISSN: 1996-1944; 1996-1944
• DOI: 10.3390/ma17020272

Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composites with eutectic gallium (Ga) and indium (In) (eGaIn) fillings of 0 wt%-75 wt% were prepared using the electrostatic spinning method. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were used to characterize the eGaIn NDs/TPU composites. To evaluate their X-ray shielding properties, Phy-X/PSD and WinXCom were employed to calculate the mass attenuation coefficients, linear attenuation coefficients, half-value layers, tenth value layers, mean free paths, and adequate atomic numbers of the eGaIn NDs/TPU composites. The SEM results indicated that the eGaIn nanodroplets were evenly distributed throughout the TPU fibers, and the flowable eGaIn was well-suited for interfacial compatibility with the TPU. A comparison of the eGaIn NDs/TPU composites with different content levels showed that the composite with 75 wt% eGaIn had the highest at all the evaluated energies, indicating a superior ability to attenuate X-rays. This non-toxic, lightweight, and flexible composite is a potential material for shielding against medical diagnostic X-rays.