Verification of Optimal X-Ray Shielding Properties Based on Material Composition and Coating Design of Shielding Materials

Health care workers performing radiography on patients in hospitals typically wear aprons for radiation protection. Protective properties are achieved through a combination of shielding materials and polymers. Various shielding materials are mixed with polymers to prepare composite materials. Numerous methods have been devised to design and alter the composition of these materials to improve the shielding performance of aprons. In this study, the shielding performance was analyzed based on the arrangement of shielding materials, the composition of materials (mixed or single), and the fabrication design of the shielding sheets. Various shielding sheets were created using different arrangements of tungsten oxide, bismuth oxide, and barium sulfate, and their shielding efficacy was compared. The atomic number and density of the shielding material directly affect the shielding property. The effectiveness of the composite sheet increased by more than 5% when positioned close to the X-ray tube. Sheets fabricated from materials separated by type, rather than mixed, exhibited a greater X-ray shielding effectiveness because of their layered structure. Therefore, structural design considerations such as linings, outer layers, and inner layers of protective sheets should be considered for effective shielding in medical institutions.