Preparation and Characterization of (Biopolymer blend-PbO2) Nanocomposites For Gamma Ray ShieldingApplications

Abstract

Inthepresentwork,nanocompositesofpolyvinylpyrrolidone(PVP),carboxymethylcellu- lose(CMC)andleadoxidenanoparticles(PbO2)havebeenpreparedtouseforgammaray shieldingapplications.Thenanocompositeshavebeenpreparedbycastingtechnique.The lead oxide nanoparticles were added to the mixture of (PVP 55 wt.% and CMC 45 wt.%) with different concentrations are (0,1.5,3 and 4.5) wt.%. The D.C electrical conductivity andopticalpropertiesofnanocompositeswerestudied.Theexperimentalresultsshowed that the D.C electrical conductivity increases with increase the lead oxide nanoparticles concentrations. The absorbance and optical constants increase with the increase of PbO2 concentrationsbuttheenergybandgapdecreaseswiththeincreaseofPbO2concentrations. The results of (polyvinyl pyrrolidone, carboxymethyl cellulose and lead oxide nanoparticles) nanocomposites application for gamma ray shielding showed that the (PVP-CMC-PbO2) nanocompositehavehighlinearattenuationcoefficientsforCs-137gammaraysources.