Structural, Mechanical, and Radiation Shielding Properties of Epoxy Composites Reinforced with Tungsten Carbide and Hexagonal Boron Nitride

Abstract In this work, tungsten carbide (WC) and hexagonal boron nitride ( h BN) have been used as a filler in epoxy resin to a novel composite to enhance the radiation attenuation properties. Four composites were obtained by using various WC/ h BN concentrations. The linear attenuation coefficients of all composites were measured experimentally. At 662keV, the 7W1B composite (%20 epoxy, %40 h BN and %40 WC) had the lowest radiation shielding parameters, including half value length, tenth value layer, and mean free path with the 7.73 cm, 3.356 cm and 2.326 cm values, respectively. Thermal neutron absorption increased proportionally with h BN content, reaching 0.575 cm⁻¹, while fast neutron absorption ranged from 0.0522 to 0.1232 cm⁻¹. Experimental radiation shielding results are supported by theoretical results. In addition, thermal and fast neutron absorption values ​​of the materials were calculated. Thermal neutron absorption values ​​(Σₐ) increased from 0.344 to 0.575 cm⁻¹ with rising h BN content, confirming the contribution of boron-10 isotope in neutron shielding. Similarly, fast neutron absorption values ​​ranged from 0.0522 to 0.1232 cm⁻¹, further supporting the hybrid composite’s potential in mixed radiation environments Mechanical testing revealed that excessive filler loading led to reduced flexural strength due to agglomeration, while balanced compositions achieved better dispersion and structural performance. Thermal analysis indicated enhanced heat conduction with increased WC content. These results demonstrate that WC– h BN–epoxy composites offer a lightweight, efficient, and tunable alternative for radiation shielding in nuclear, aerospace, and defense applications.