Investigation of P(VDF-TrFE)/ZrO₂-MMA polymer composites applied to radiation shielding

Exposure to high radiation dose in medical diagnostic imaging procedures can lead patients to suffer tissue damaging. However, there are several studies that identify significant dose reduction with the use of radiation protective attenuators, minimizing the delivered dose in the region that covers the main beam, while preserving the diagnostic quality of the generated image. Most radiation attenuator materials are produced from shielding metal containing composites, whose efficiency is the goal of investigations around the world. In this context, polymeric materials were chosen for this investigation in order to provide light-weighted and flexible protective composites, a must in personal protective shielding. Therefore, this work is concerned to the investigation of poly(vinylidene fluoride - try-fluor-ethylene) [P(VDF-TrFE)] copolymers mixed with zirconia nanoparticles. The resulting polymer composites, prepared with 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10 at.% of ZrO₂ nanoparticles, were investigated for application as protective shielding in some interventional radiology procedures. Two variety of composites were produced, one using pure ZrO₂ nanoparticles and the other using sol-gel route with zirconium butoxide as the precursor for zirconium oxide nano-clusters. The P(VDFTrFE)/ ZrO2-MMA polymer composites produced by sol-gel route have provided a much better dispersion of the pure ZrO₂ material into the P(VDF-TrFE) host matrix. UV-Vis and FTIR spectrometry and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to characterize the composite samples. FTIR data reveal a possible link between the MMA monomers with the P(VDF-TrFE) chain through shared C=O bonds. The radiation shielding characterization was conducted by using a 70 kV x-rays beam which is applicable, for instances, in catheter angiography. The results demonstrate that composites with 10% of ZrO₂, and only 1.0 mm thick, can attenuate 60% of the x-rays beam. The composite density was evaluated to be 2.20 g/cm³. The results indicate that P(VDF-TrFE)/ZrO₂-MMA polymer composites have potential to be investigated as light-weighted and flexible protective shielding for application in some radiological procedures that uses low kilovoltage x-ray beams. (authors)