Development of flexible PVC composites loaded with hybrid systems of CuO, WO3, and Bi2O3 for radiation shielding applications

This paper investigated the development of flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-based composites reinforced with heavy metal oxides, including CuO, WO 3 , and Bi 2 O 3 , to improve gamma-ray shielding efficiency of PVC-compound. Four composites were prepared at different weight ratios, including a pure sample (PVC-0) and other loaded with oxides based on oxides ratio. Experimental measurements were performed using radiation sources at different energies, with calculations of linear attenuation coefficients (LAC) and shielding efficiency. Theoretical calculations were also performed using XCOM software for comparison with the experimental results. The results showed good agreement between the experimental and theoretical values. The LAC values at 0.0595 MeV were 0.442, 2.406, 3.500, and 3.280 cm −1 , while at 0.6617 MeV they were 0.104, 0.160, 0.172, and 0.173 cm −1 for PVC-0, PVC-1, PVC-2, and PVC-3, respectively. The results showed that the addition of heavy oxides significantly improved the attenuation properties compared to the pure sample, with a synergistic effect observed in hybrid formulations containing more than one type of oxide. The developed composites exhibit a suitable balance between flexibility and shielding efficiency, making them suitable candidates for use in lightweight and flexible radiation shielding applications.