• 품질경영학회지
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• 제43권3호
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• pp.239-252
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• 2015

Purpose: Lead has been widely used in radiation shielding for its low price and high workability. Recently in several europe countries, use of lead was banned for environmental issues. Also lead can cause health problems like alergies. Alternative materials for lead are highly required. The purpose of this study was to propose lead free radiation shielding material. Methods: Research of radiation shielding in Korea is not easy for certain limits such as radiation materials, experimental facilities and places. The collected data through the research were simulated using MCNPX. The simulation tools used for this study were utilized Monte Carlo method. Results: we suggest new design of lead free radiation shielding material using MCNPX code comparing shielding performance of new composite materials to lead. Conclusion: This newly introduced nano-scale composite of metal and polymer makes new chance for highly lightened radiation protective garments with endurable shielding performance.

• 대한방사선기술학회지:방사선기술과학
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• 제47권4호
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• pp.249-254
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• 2024

This study compared the X-ray shielding abilities of the shields using Computed Radiography(CR) System after manufacturing a lead-free boards using gypsum and BaSO₄, an eco-friendly X-ray shielding material. Total six lead-free boards were manufactured with BaSO₄ concentrations of 25 %, 50 % and thickness of 10 mm, 15 mm, 20 mm respectively, and additional thickness of 1.0 mm, 1.5 mm, 2.0 mm leads were prepared. In the experiment, Nine shields were placed on the Image Plate and placed in a Computed Tomography(CT) Room where CT scans were performed for 2 weeks. After that, the X-ray image of the shields were obtained through CR Reader, and Pixel Value(PV) were measured to evaluated the X-ray shielding abilities of the lead-free shields. The criterion for evaluating the shields was determined by comparing PV of lead-free board to that of the 1.5 mm thickness lead used in the CT rooms. As a result of the experiment, the PV of the lead-free boards within 25 % of the BaSO₄ concentration and within 10 mm of the thickness were not enough to be used as X-ray shields in the CT Room because they did not reach the PV of the 1.5 mm thickness lead. BaSO₄ concentration of 50 % at 20 mm thickness showed PV of 1.5 mm lead thickness or more indicating that it has an X-ray shielding ability to replace lead in the CT room

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제56권7호
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• pp.2570-2575
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• 2024

The study aims to develop a novel, lead-free, flexible and lightweight composite shielding material against ionizing radiation. For this, it was used bismuth oxide (Bi₂O₃) in RTV-2 silicon matrix. The shielding tests were carried out in both diagnostic X-ray energies and intermediate gamma-ray energy range of up to 662 keV to determine the radiation attenuation properties of this material in terms of attenuation ratio, half value layer, tenth value layer, mean free path and lead equivalency of samples in weight of 30%, 40%, 50% in Bi₂O₃. In the diagnostic X-ray energy range, half value layer, tenth value layer and lead equivalency (in mm Pb) of the produced samples were measured at 80 and 100 kVp narrow beam conditions according to the requirements of EN IEC 61331-1 standard. The results show that lead equivalent values of the produced novel sheets was measured to be 0.16 mm Pb, corresponding to a 6 mm thickness of the flexible sample when it contains 30% wt. Bi₂O₃ in RTV matrix. The experimental findings for durability and flexibility also indicated that this new RTV-based flexible, lead -free shielding composite can be used safely for especially for manufacturing aprons, garments and thyroid guards used in mammography, radiology, nuclear medicine and dental applications in practice.

• 한국방사선학회논문지
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• 제18권6호
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• pp.651-662
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• 2024

본 연구는 납 기반 차폐체의 독성 문제를 해결하기 위해 산화철과 구리를 혼합한 필라멘트를 이용해 무납 차폐체를 개발하고 성능을 평가하였다. 산화철과 구리 파우더를 혼합하여 필라멘트를 제작한 후, FDM방식의 3D 프린터로 다양한 두께의 차폐체를 출력하였다. 관전압과 관전류를 변화하며 선량 및 차폐율을 측정하였으며, 데이터 분석은 SPSS 프로그램을 통해 이루어졌다(p<0.05). 실험 결과, 산화철 - 구리 혼합 필라멘트 차폐체는 관전압 120 kVp, 관전류 20 mAs 일 때를 제외한 모든 조건에서 8 mm 이상의 두께부터 납당량 0.25 mmPb 납 방호 도구보다 높은 차폐 성능을 나타냈다. 이 연구는 산화철 - 구리 혼합 필라멘트차폐체가 납의 단점을 보완하면서 유사한 차폐 성능을 제공할 수 있음을 입증하였으며 무납 차폐체 연구의 기초 자료로 활용될 수 있는 가능성을 제시하였다.

• 한국융합학회논문지
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.105-110
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• 2021

의료기관에서 최근 많이 사용되고 있는 친환경 소재 방사선 차폐체는 시트 형태로 제작되어 Apron의 재료로 활용되고 있다. 친환경 Apron의 차폐성능은 납당량을 기준으로 제시되고 있으며, 납당량은 0.25~0.50mmPb로 제시되고 있다. 납이 주재료 사용되는 차폐체인 경우 납의 우수한 가공성으로 인해 두께로 차폐성능을 조절할 수 있다. 그러나 친환경 차폐시트는 차폐재료의 함량, 베이스 재료인 고분자 물질의 물성, 공정과정의 기술적 차이에 따라 차폐성능이 변화되어 두께 기준의 차폐성능을 제어하기가 어렵다. 본 연구에서는 이러한 문제점을 해결하고자 두께를 기준으로 차폐시트를 제작하여 차폐성능을 평가, 비교하였다. 동일한 시트 제작공정을 제시하여 두께를 제어할 수 있는 캘린더 공정의 압연 기술을 적용하였고 여러층의 적층 구조와 단일 구조로 제작된 두 시트의 두께별 차폐성능을 비교하여 5%대의 차이를 관찰하였다. 그 결과 여러 층으로 차폐한 적층 구조 차폐시트가 더 효과적임을 증명하는 동시에 두께 중심의 차폐성능의 가능성을 제시하였다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권12호
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• pp.4708-4714
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• 2022

The novelty in the present search, the Soda-Lime-Silica (SLS) glass waste to prepare free lead glass shielding was used in order to limit the accumulation of glass waste, which requires extensive time to decompose. This also saves on the consumption of pure SiO₂, which is a finite resource. Furthermore, the combining of BaO with Bi₂O₃ into a glass network leads to increased optical properties and improved attenuation. The UV-Visible Spectrophotometer was used to investigate the optical properties and the radiation shielding properties were reported for current glass samples utilizing the PhysX/PDS online software. The optical property results indicate that when BaO content increases in glass structure, the Urbach energy ΔE, and refractive index n increases while the energy optical band gap E_opt decreases. The result of the metallisation criteria (M) revealed that the present glass samples are nonmetallic (insulators). Furthermore, the radiation shielding parameter findings suggest that when BaO was increased in the glass structure, the linear attenuation coefficient and effective atomic number (Z_eff) rose. But the half-value layer HVL declined as the BaO concentration grew. According to the research, the glass samples are non-toxic, transparent to visible light, and efficient radiation shielding materials. The Ba5 sample is considered the best among all the samples due to its higher attenuation value and lower HVL and MFP values, which make it a suitable candidate as transparent glass shield shielding.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제56권10호
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• pp.4103-4114
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• 2024

This research aimed to develop lead-free polymer composites based on poly-methyl methacrylate (PMMA) and embedded with tungsten carbide (WC) micro and nanoparticles for use in radiation protection applications. PMMA was filled with 20 %, 40 %, and 60 % by weight of WC micro- and nanoparticles. The shielding features of the proposed polymer mixtures were evaluated at different radioactive sources of different energies using the HPGe detector. The results revealed that the investigated composites containing micro and nano-structured WC particles showed superior radiation shielding at 81 keV due to the K-edge of the W element occurring at 69.5 keV. The findings also demonstrated that composites loaded with WC nanoparticles were more effective in shielding gamma radiation than those loaded with WC microparticles, even at the same filler wt.%. Furthermore, the sample containing 60 % by weight of nano-WC, coded as P-60nWC, had superior shielding performance than other polymer-based composites reported in the literature. Thus, the proposed nano-WC/PMMA composites can be effectively employed in radiation facilities as alternative environmentally and lead-free radiation shielding materials to protect people and the environment from the harmful risks of gamma radiation.

• 한국의학물리학회지:의학물리
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.232-237
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• 2010

본 연구에서는 의학영상장치의 방사선에너지스펙트럼과 중원자번호 물질의 방사선흡수특성을 이용하여 경량 재질의 무납차폐체를 개발하였다. 개발된 차폐체는 중량비율로 주석 34.1%, 안티몬 33.8%, 요오드 26.8%와 Polyisoprene 5.3%를 혼합하여 가로$\times$세로$\times$두께 $200{\times}200{\times}1.5\;(mm^3)$로 제작되었으며 밀도는 $3.2\;g/cm^3$이다. 무납차폐체의 무게는 표준납차폐체 무게의 84%로 연당량 0.42 mm에 해당되며, 제작된 무납차폐체는 일차선과 산란선에 대해 표준납차폐체(연당량 0.5 mm 두께)의 투과율과 비교하였다. 일차선 에너지는 50 kVp에서 20 kVp씩 증가하여 110 kVp까지 조사 되었으며, 표준납 차폐체의 투과율은 0.1%, 0.9%, 3.2%, 4.8%였고, 무납차폐체는 각각 0.3%, 0.6%, 2.0%, 4.2%를 보였으며, 오차는 ${\pm}0.1$%이었다. 표준납차폐체와 동등한 연당량의 무납차폐체의 투과율은 각각 0.1%, 0.3%, 1.0%와 2.4%로 저에너지에서는 납과 동일한 감쇠를 나타내었으나 높은 에너지영역 에서는 납의 30~50%의 투과율로 측정되어 차폐효과가 뛰어남을 알 수 있었다. 인체팬텀의 측방산란선에 대한 비교결과는 표준납차폐체가 2.4%, 2.5%, 4.2%, 5.1%를 보였고, 무납차폐체는 각각 2.4%, 3.3%, 4.6%와 5.9%이며 각 오차는 ${\pm}0.2%$였다. 혼합성분의 무납차폐체의 연당량을 표준납차폐체까지 올리는 경우 낮은 에너지에서 뿐만 아니라 높은 에너지 영역에서 납에 비해 월등히 감쇠효과가 있음을 주장하며, 방사선구역의 특성에 따라 경량의 차폐체를 이용함으로써 방사선피폭을 효과적으로 차폐할 수 있을 것이다.

• 한국방사선학회논문지
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• 제14권4호
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• pp.367-373
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• 2020

물체와 X선의 상호작용로 발생하는 산란선으로 야기되는 공간 산란선량은 대부분이 저에너지 영역의 전자기파로 인체에 비교적 쉽게 흡수되어 방사선 피폭정도가 증가하게 된다. 이러한 공간 산란 선량은 방사선작업 종사자 및 환자의 방사선 피폭 정도 지표로도 사용되고 있으며 간접적으로 발생하는 공간 산란 선량을 줄여 피폭을 저감화하기 위한 방안의 필요성이 마련될 필요성이 있다. 이에 본 연구에서는 공간산란 선량을 저감화 방안으로 무납 방사선 차폐 시트를 제시하였고 가슴 X선 촬영검사를 기준으로 몬테카를로(MC; Monte Carlo) 시뮬레이션을 수행하여 거리 변화에 따른 갑상샘과 생식선 위치에서 흡수되는 산란선의 흡수선량을 산출하였고 실측치와 차폐율을 비교 평가하였다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제51권3호
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• pp.860-866
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• 2019

The lead element or its salts are good radiation shielding materials. However, their toxic effects are high. Due to less toxicity of bismuth salts, the radiation shielding properties of the bismuth salts have been investigated and compared to that of lead salts to establish them as a better alternative to radiation shielding material to the lead element or its salts. The transmission geometry was utilized to measure the mass attenuation coefficient (${\mu}/{\rho}$) of different salts containing lead and bismuth using a high-resolution HPGe detector and different energies (between 81 and 1333 keV) emitted from point sources of $^{133}Ba$, $^{57}Co$, $^{22}Na$, $^{54}Mn$, $^{137}Cs$, and $^{60}Co$. The experimental ${\mu}/{\rho}$ results are compared with the theoretical values obtained through WinXCOM program. The theoretical calculations are in good agreement with their experimental ones. The radiation protection efficiencies, mean free paths, effective atomic numbers and electron densities for the present compounds were determined. The bismuth fluoride ($BiF_3$) is found to have maximum radiation protection efficiency among the selected salts. The results showed that present salts are more effective for reducing the intensity of gamma photons at low energy region.