Sustainable development of PVA/cellulose/PALF-based composites coated with nano-BaCO₃ for enhanced X-ray radiation shielding aprons

This study presents the development of an eco-friendly flexible X-ray radiation shielding apron based on a composite of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), cellulose extracted from corn husk waste, and pineapple leaf fiber (PALF) coated with barium carbonate (BaCO₃) nanoparticles at various concentrations (20–60 wt%). The PVA/cellulose/PALF@BaCO₃ composite was prepared by the solution casting method. XRD analysis revealed the presence of BaCO₃ in an orthorhombic crystal structure within the composite matrix, with the largest crystal size (15.4 nm) and lowest internal strain and dislocation density observed in the 40 wt% BaCO₃ sample (BC40). FTIR spectra confirmed the chemical bonding and functional groups of the composite components, while SEM showed the morphology and dispersion of BaCO₃ particles in the polymer matrix, with agglomeration observed at higher concentrations (60 wt%). Mechanical testing indicated that the addition of PALF@BaCO₃ filler significantly improved the tensile strength and Young's modulus of the composite, with optimum values of 18.157 N/mm2 and 3.13052 N/mm2, respectively, achieved at 40 wt% BaCO₃. The linear attenuation coefficient (LAC), mass attenuation coefficient (MAC), half-value layer (HVL), tenth-value layer (TVL), mean free path (MFP), and radiation protection efficiency (RPE) were evaluated to assess the shielding effectiveness. The highest LAC (5.459 cm−1) and lowest HVL (0.127 cm) were obtained for the 60 wt% BaCO₃ sample with a triple-layer thickness (0.105 cm), demonstrating the best shielding performance. The results suggest that the PVA/cellulose/PALF@BaCO₃ composite has great potential as a sustainable, non-toxic, flexible and high-performance material for X-ray protective aprons.

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