Natural leather based gamma-ray shielding materials enabled by the coordination of well-dispersed Bi3+/Ba2+ ions and RE2O3 coating

Abstract Gamma rays is widely used in modern science and technology, but it may cause health damage to practitioners. In the present study, natural composites based on leather high-Z elements (atomic number ? 56) were fabricated as gamma shielding materials. These materials prepared by coating rare earth nanoparticles (Er 2 O 3 or La ) onto surface of leather, which was first impregnated with Bi 3+ Ba 2+ . Results show that attenuation efficiency Er 1.31 5.46 -NL (1.31 mmol cm ?3 loaded elements) thickness 3.2 mm 61.57% for incident at 121.78 keV ( 152 Eu) reached 96.4% 59.5 241 Am), comparable 0.25-mm lead plate (54.54 ). addition, these natural-leather-based exhibited low density (approximately 1/10 Pb), high strength wearable behaviors. Graphical abstract