Development of a new nanocrystalline alloy for X-ray shielding

The purpose of this study was to develop a new nanocrystalline alloy material, which can replace lead for the purposes of radiation shielding as it is not hazardous to the human body and it is light in weight, to use the developed alloy in a fiber, and to evaluate its performance. This study used tungsten carbide and cobalt as the base metals and developed a new nanocrystalline alloy material. Then, radiation-shielding fibers 0.2 and 0.4 mm thick were created from the prepared tungsten carbide and cobalt powder. Equivalent dose was measured and shielding rate was obtained by the lead-equivalent test method for X-ray protection of goods suggested in the Korean Standard. According to our results, the shielding rate of the 0.2-mm-thick WC–Co alloy was 96.52% at a tube voltage of 50 kVp, 94.86% at a tube voltage of 80 kVp, and 94.10% at a tube voltage of 100 kVp. The shielding rate of the 0.4-mm-thick WC–Co alloy was 97.47% at a tube voltage of 50 kVp, 96.57% at a tube voltage of 80 kVp, and 95.63% at...