Effect of the particle size and photon energy on the X-ray attenuation by CuO compounds

In this work the x-ray transmission through microsize CuO and nanosize CuO materials, each one incorporated separately to beeswax, is compared. For comparison purpose, transmission through pure beeswax was also evaluated. The concentration of CuO particles, with a crystallite size in the microsize and nanosize scale, incorporated to beeswax was 5%. The dispersion of the CuO particles in the beeswax was accessed by means of radiographic images provided by a digital mammography equipment. X-ray transmission was evaluated for beams produced by a mammography unit, with a Mo/Mo anode/filter combination and by a conventional x-ray equipment, with a W target. Air kerma values transmitted through material thicknesses between 2 and 12 mm were measured with an ionization chamber. Results shows that the transmission through microsize and nanosize CuO was almost the same for x-ray beams generated at 60 kV tube voltages. However, for x-ray beams generated at 26 kV tube voltages the transmitted air kerma values are lower for the samples with nanosize CuO incorporated to beeswax than those measured for microsize CuO particles incorporated to beeswax. (author)