radiation attenuation properties of shields containing micro and nano wo3 in diagnostic x-ray energy range

background: it has recently been shown that the particle size of materials used for radiation shielding can affect the magnitude of radiation attenuation. over the past years, application of nano-structured materials in radiation shielding has attracted attention world-wide. the purpose of this study was to investigate the shielding properties of the lead-free shields containing micro and nano-sized wo3 against low energy x-rays. materials and methods: the radiation shields were constructed using nano and micro wo3 particles incorporated into an epvc polymer matrix. the attenuation coefficients of the designed shields were evaluated for low energy x-rays (diagnostic radiology energy range). results: the results indicate that nano-structured wo3/pvc shields have higher photon attenuation properties compared to those of the micro-sized samples. conclusion: our experiment clearly shows that the smaller size of nano-structured wo3 particles can guarantee a better radiation shielding property. however, it is too early to draw any conclusion on the possible mechanisms of enhanced attenuation of nano-sized wo3 particles.