Hybrid Polymer Gamma Ray Shielding Material
IMPORTANCE OF THE INVENTION
Invention of Hybrid Polymer Gamma Ray Radiation Shielding Material (HGD) is a very important innovation for the humanity. In order to have a clear idea on this subject, a brief explanation will be helpful about what is Gamma-Ray radiation, its usefulness and its dangers for humanity and for the world must be explained.
Gamma rays are generally characterized as electromagnetic radiation having the highest frequency (300 Exahertz) and energy (100 keV to 10 MeV), and also the shortest wavelength (below about 10 picometers) within the electromagnetic spectrum.
Today Gamma-Ray radiation and radioactive materials are used in medical diagnosis, in cancer, nuclear medicine, nuclear industry, nuclear agriculture, food and medical equipment irradiation , radiation technology, scientific researches and for military purposes. Today Gamma-Ray radiation usage has reached to enormous dimensions.
Gamma-Ray is used in many areas for different purposes in the world. But if we do not have adequate protection measures Gamma–Rays become big biological risk for humanity and for environment.
Gamma-Rays are ionized radiation. If we do not have adequate protection measures Gamma–Rays cause murderous burn, breast and a lung and thyroid cancer, genetics illnesses and many health problems.
Related with Gamma-Ray radiation there are two very big danger for the humanity and for the World. These are,
1-Nuclear Accidents,
2-Gamma-Rays produced by the hottest regions of the universe, such as super solar storms.
1- Examples of serious nuclear accidents are the Three Mile Island accident, the Windscale fire, the SL-1 accident, and the Mayak accident.
But in the history the worst nuclear radiation accident is Chernobyl nuclear accident at the date 26.April,1986. Most of the deaths from the accident were attributed to radiation. Four hundred times more fallout was released than had been by the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. The plume drifted over extensive parts of Soviet Union,Europe,with light nuclear rain falling as far as Ireland. Large areas in Ukraine,Belarus and Russia were badly contaminated.
Causalities were 56 direct deaths, 600,000 (estimated) suffered radiation exposure ,of which 4,000 cancer deaths in addition to the approximately 100,000 fatal cancers to be expected due to all other causes in this population.
2- Super Solar Storms are the second important danger. NASA warns Super Solar Storm at 2012. Sun is the source of all life but if this Super Solar Storm happens sun could be the end of life too. According to that report about the year 2012 a massive explosion on the sun is expected.
This destructive solar storms plasma and charged high energy particles escaping from surface of the sun and travelling to space will land to areas here on the earth. These very high energy particles will destroy electronic parts of all energy power stations, electronic parts of all nuclear energy power stations, all electronic equipment, all computers will be destroyed etc. It will destroy every thing which works by electric. At the time of explosion, all traveling planes will fall down because computers of these planes will be destroyed by this high energy particles. The satellites and space station will be destroyed by this high energy particles. But the worst is many of the nuclear power stations will explode .Because while the nuclear stations working and producing energy ,the high energy particles will destroy computers and nuclear energy can not be controlled and will explode. The nuclear fuels will be another source of danger because of high energy particles and neutrons.
At the end there will be no energy, no communication and no high technology transportation on the world.
At the following maps it is seen that there are about hundreds of nuclear power station all over the world. Most off them are in America continent and in Europe. Related with these high energy particles hundreds nuclear accident will happen and most of the world will contaminated by nuclear radiation.
This seems like science fiction, but the probability is very high. We have to take measures before these accidents happen.
OUR INVENTION
HYBRID POLYMER GAMMA-RAY RADIATION SHIELDING MATERIAL (HGD)
Our company has invented a Hybrid Polymer Shielding Material for Gamma-Rays radiation which are generally characterized as electromagnetic radiation having the highest energy.
Inventor of this material is Miss Sukran CAN who is the head of our R&D Department. She has stopped Gamma-Ray Radiation by a new generation Hybrid Polymer shielding material called HGD.
Today thick lead plates are used for Gamma-Ray radiation shielding .For example oncology centers use about 20 cm thick lead plates to stop radiation. Another alternative is to use cobalt mixed and about 120 cm thick concrete blocks.
Lead plates are very heavy and hard to shape. But the most important disadvantage of lead is that, it is toxic for human beings and for environment. Our invention Hybrid Polymer Material (HGD) is about 4 times lighter than lead. It is more elastic , easier to shape ,not toxic and environment friendly.
Our invention which stops Gamma-Ray radiation 99% is based on polymer compound of 13 cm thick. We are working on it to make it thinner. The shielding tests of our invention has been done by Muğla University Chemistry Department, Radiological Test Lab. The report is enclosed for evaluation.
With our Hybrid Polymer Shielding Material invention (HGD) Gamma-Ray Radiation will be shielded completely. This radiation shield will protect people in the whole areas where Gamma-Ray radiation is used or created.
When we think about the nuclear accidents for example Chernobyl nuclear accident, it is told that the effects of this accident are still viewable. The reactor still contains enough radioactive material to destroy Europe.
Our invention Hybrid Polymer Gamma- Ray Shielding Material can be used in this reactor. The radiation danger stops. Using different type of HGD the contaminated large areas in Ukraine can be rehabilitated and agriculture starts again.
About the Super Solar Storm at 2012 we have to take necessary measures.
To protect nuclear energy power stations and equipment from high power radiation our hybrid composite radiation shields can be used in different shapes Our Hybrid composite radiation shields can be shaped and it can be used as blankets or it can be used as paint in necessary parts of energy power stations. It can be used to protect computers of planes and computers of nuclear power stations, nuclear fuels, and important electronic equipment, etc. Important satellites and space station can be protected by this radiation shield too
Our hybrid composite radiation shielding material can be used in nuclear waste storage areas with confidence.
BENEFITS OF USING HYBRID GAMMA RAY RADIATION SHILED (HGD) IN LIEU OF LEAD
To have clearer idea some points must be emphasized in this kind comparison. HGD is not an ordinary material . Our material HGD is directly related with the health of the people and health of the environment.
1- Today lead is used to shield a radioactive source, It is said that radiation is shielded and the people working in that area are protected..
But this not completely true. When you use lead to shield a radioactive source, after a time, with the contact of gamma energies and neutron energies to lead shield, as the result, lead starts to behave as if it is lead isotopes. This time lead shield, itself starts to act as another radiation source. As another point when lead is used to shield a radioactive source, by the effect of radioactive heat lead starts to oxidize and poisonous lead oxide gas created. This is the number one reason of lung cancer, throat cancer and skin cancer. So in some people health problems start. Huge amounts of money is spend to cure the illness.
2- Used lead waste is another very big problem for the humanity and environment. Because lead is a poisonous metal. We have to wait hundreds of years to overcome the poisonous effect of lead on environment.
So in comparison how we will place a monetary value to human health. Because life is priceless and everything should be done, regardless of cost, to save the individual.
3- As another point, it is not true to compare two materials one material (lead) toxic and very harmful to environment and human life the other material (HGD) is not toxic and friendly to environment and to human. Lets assume that Cyanide is good and very cheap radiation shield. Is it true to use Cyanide for radiation shield?
4-In fact, after the invention of HGD, lead must not be used for radiation shield. This is a necessity for human health and for environment. Politicians and the decision makers have to think on this subject.
5- Density of HGD is another advantage. Density of lead is 11.34 g/cm3 and density of HGD is only 2, 63 g/cm3
6- The life time of HGD material is very long. It will be used between 80 – 100 years .At the end of this period you will collect the used HGD material. It will be renewed. Later you will use this renewed HGD for another 100-80 years more.
7- The thickness of the HGD shielding material is 13 cm. After the necessary laboratory studies at first step the total thickness of the shielding material will be about 6 cm to use in nuclear power stations. For the nuclear fuel carrying bags the thickness of shielding material will be about 4 cm. The final density of the material will be less than present density.
In the long range thickness of the gamma-ray shielding material will be about 0.5 cm to 1 cm.
DISPOSAL OF NUCLEAR WASTE
As a theoretical study I think the active nuclear structure can be changed into it’s natural structure. So in Chernobyl nuclear reactor ,nuclear fuel bars will lost its radioactive characters.
Same time we will not wait for hundreds of thousand of years to overcome the radiation of nuclear waste.
Sukran CAN
President
Test Report of Mugla University