Nuclear energy is an important development direction of energy utilization in the world. But nuclear power plants and the use of nuclear power and equipment will produce various types of ionizing radiation, which must be effectively shielded.

As for radiation shielding materials, it must have high radiation shielding effectiveness and good radiation resistance. Lead tungstate combines radiation shielding properties of tungsten and lead, and has the characteristics of high density, short radiation length and Moliere radius, fast scintillation decay time and strong radiation damage resistance. As a filler for radiation products, Lead tungstate can greatly improve anti-radiation ability of products.

 

 

The production of various radiation shielding materials was usually made with PbO as filling material, so as to make gloves, clothes, hats, etc that have certain protection ability to the gamma ray. But it’s easy for PbO to get out from those products, which would cause harm to people and the environment. Gamma ray, as high energy electromagnetic wave, has much higher penetration ability than X ray. Once gamma ray enters the human body, the internal radiation would be more harmful, and the heavy elements that have good attenuation properties for gamma rays can also produce secondary gamma rays for the inelastic scattering and radiation trapping. Considering the diversity of shielding material requirements and the products performance, most of the domestic and foreign products are made of WO3 lead instead of PbO, but the shielding ability of this kind of products like gloves, clothes and caps to gamma ray is very low, and the mechanical properties are poor.

 

Lead tungstate (PbWO4), as a kind of filler, has remarkably improved the radiation shielding ability of products. The size of lead tungstate has a direct influence on its protection against ionizing radiation. When lead tungstate is used as filler in shielding equipment, the smaller the particle size is, the more uniform the dispersion is, and the better the protection capability of the protective equipment is. The shielding ratio increases with the increase of filler content, and decreases with the increase of radiation energy. As a kind of natural latex with excellent function and comprehensive properties, lead tungstate can be used to prepare lead tungstate rubber composite material with good shielding effect.