New material offers same radiation protection as lead aprons at a fraction of the weight
Experts have developed a new material they believe could offer the same radiation protection as lead aprons but at a fraction of the weight.
The flexible polymer material was created at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. Experts there tested multiple lead alternatives before shifting their focus to tungsten due to its high density.
The group processed tungsten into tiny rod-shaped nanoparticles before mixing them into silicone-based plastic to create nanocomposite sheets. The sheets were arranged into gradient layers to ensure flexibility. This composition provides adequate radiation protection but without the need for a heavy lead apron, researchers explained.
“By engineering the size, shape, arrangement and distribution of nanoparticles within flexible polymers, we can achieve excellent X-ray protection while dramatically reducing weight,” Tizazu Mekonnen, PhD, a chemical engineering professor at Waterloo, said in a statement. “This opens the door to safer, more comfortable shielding materials for healthcare workers and others who are routinely exposed to radiation.”
The team compared their material’s protective effects against different types of metallic shields worn by medical staff, testing various levels of radiation exposure. The tungsten-based alternative showed significantly higher attenuation, achieving 120% and 70% increases in linear attenuation coefficient at 79 and 120 kV at identical filler loadings. These protective measures were achieved despite the tungsten-based material weighing approximately 90% less than standard lead aprons.
This is due not just to its composition, but its architecture as well, the group suggested.
“Beyond composition, architectural design plays a critical role: graded multilayer structures exploiting beam-hardening effects simultaneously suppress primary and scattered radiation. An increasing concentration gradient (30 - 40 - 50 wt%) delivers the highest linear attenuation coefficient while reducing scattered radiation by 51%, outperforming reverse-gradient and centrally concentrated configurations despite identical nominal tungsten contents.”
Their lighter material also could offer significant relief for healthcare workers who frequently wear lead aprons during procedures involving ionizing radiation, they added. The team is now exploring how the material can be used for protection against gamma rays and electromagnetic waves.
Read more about their work here.
In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She began covering the medical imaging industry for Innovate Healthcare in 2021.