Development of x-ray shielding material from combination of amorphous cellulose of used paper, barium sulphate, and natural rubber

Abstract

This research aimed to fabricate X-ray shielding substrates using amorphous cellulose from office waste paper and eucalyptus pulp mixed with natural rubber to produce the prototypes. The amorphous cellulose was prepared using only the sulfuric acid at 0 °C to rearrange the crystalline chain to the amorphous chain. After that, the barium sulfate/amorphous cellulose composite (Ba/AC) was regenerated using barium chloride solution. The shielding sheets were formulated by mixing vulcanization natural rubber individual with Ba/AC from office waste paper (NR-W), the purified eucalyptus pulp (NR-E), and barium sulfate powder (NR-P). The NR-W and NR-E were shown the predominant attenuation than the NR-P because of the amorphous cellulose surrounded barium sulfate distributed and reduced the particles aggregation; as a result, most incident X-rays have absorbed. The prototypes were developed at the equivalent of 0.25 mm Pb, complying with the recommendation for patients and occupational workers. The protective materials were formulated to prevent the primary radiation, comprising the shield of the head, thyroid, and breast, while the lab coat was produced to block the scatter radiation. The X-ray shielding prototypes present the benefits of biodegradable, eco-friendly, cost-effective, and non-toxic.