Comparative Theoretical and Experimental Validation of the Shielding Effectiveness of Ceramic Composite-Based Medical Radiation Protection Tools

Numerous studies aimed to validate new shielding materials with the transition of medical radiation-shielding tools toward eco-friendly materials. In this study, we assessed the feasibility of ceramic composites, recently adopted in aerospace for internal shielding, as candidates for medical applications. Specifically, three types of ceramic composite mixtures were examined: bismuth oxide-based (Bi2O3), cerium oxide-based (CeO2), and tantalum oxide-based (Ta2O5) ceramic composites. Two approaches—theoretical simulations and direct experiments—validated the performance under clinical conditions. Monte Carlo simulation results reveal that CeO2, with its high linear attenuation coefficient, exhibits the strongest theoretical shielding. In terms of density measurements, Ta2O5 composite sheets yielded the highest density (3.318 g/cm3), followed by CeO2 composites (3.228 g/cm3) and Bi2O3 composites (3.091 g/cm3). Although relatively slight differences in density were observed among the fabricated sheets, Ta2O5 composites tended to have slightly higher densities. However, Ta2O5 composites outperformed the other composites in direct clinical experiments. This discrepancy between the theoretical and experimental results highlights the influence of other factors, such as the energy characteristics of the materials and variations in the fabrication process. Overall, this study supports the development of eco-friendly radiation shields through theoretical and clinical validation.