Lightweight bismuth titanate (Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂) nanoparticle-epoxy composite for advanced lead-free X-ray radiation shielding

Abstract

Constant exposure to ionizing radiation such as X-rays can be hazardous to human health. Conventional lead (Pb)-based shielding materials are limited by their heaviness and toxicity, and thus, it is imperative to explore lightweight, non-Pb, and promising X-ray protection materials. This work demonstrates the synthesis of bismuth titanate (BTO) particles by a ball-milling process to create a new Pb-free shielding composite using BTO particles with different mass loadings (0–65 wt %) mixed in an epoxy resin (ER) matrix. The surface roughness and hardness properties of the developed BTO-ER composites are investigated to understand their X-ray attenuation ability. The X-ray shielding performance of the prepared BTO-ER composites unveils that the BTO-ER composite with a thickness of ∼2 mm achieves the best X-ray attenuation efficiencies of ∼97 and 95% at 80 and 100 kVp, respectively. The shielding ability of the BTO-ER composite (total weight of 2.2 ± 0.1 g) provides a 0.35 mm Pb equivalent attenuation at the same X-ray energy range, with only half of the weight relative to the 0.35 mm Pb sheet (4.19 g). The outcomes highlight a promising potential for the BTO-based material as a Pb-free X-ray protective material to replace the conventional toxic Pb in designing a safe, affordable, and environmentally friendly diagnostic X-ray protection garment, which also complies with international radiation protection standards.