Shielding characteristics of poly (vinyl chloride) polymer film reinforced with Bi2O3/Dy2O3 nanoparticles

Abstract Poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC) is one of the most widely used synthetic polymers due to its flexibility, low density, and ability to be reinforced with fillers to enhance its physical properties. In this study, PVC polymer films were reinforced with varying concentrations of Bi 2 O 3 and Bi 2 O 3 + Dy 2 O 3 nanoparticles to investigate their mechanical and radiation shielding properties. The nanocomposite polymer films were fabricated using the hot compression molding technique. Structural and chemical analyses were performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to confirm the uniform dispersion and chemical interaction of the nanoparticles within the PVC matrix. The influence of nanoparticle concentration and gamma irradiation dose on the mechanical properties of the polymer films was evaluated through tensile strength and elongation tests. Results revealed that increasing the nanoparticle content slightly improved the tensile strength, while gamma exposure enhanced mechanical performance with minimal effect on elongation. The radiation shielding capability of the prepared PVC/Bi 2 O 3 and PVC/Bi 2 O 3 + Dy 2 O 3 polymer films was assessed experimentally using a Cs-137 gamma source (5 μCi) and a 241 Am–Be neutron source (185 GBq). The linear attenuation coefficients and neutron attenuation parameters were measured as a function of nanoparticle weight fraction. Monte Carlo simulations (MCNPX) and Phy-X software were used to validate the experimental data. The results showed excellent agreement between experimental and simulated values, confirming that the polymer film containing 15 wt% Bi 2 O 3 exhibited superior radiation shielding performance. These findings suggest that PVC polymer films reinforced with Bi 2 O 3 /Dy 2 O 3 nanoparticles are promising candidates for flexible and lightweight radiation protection materials suitable for medical and industrial applications.