Tungsten Polymer Radiation Shielding Advantages

Tungsten polymer, such as nylons, urethanes and thermoplastic elastomers, having tungsten content ranging from 65% to 80% by weight, has many advantages to support its radiation shielding application:

High density: specific gravity≥11.34 g/cm3, providing an alternative material.
Good flexibility: with rubbery feel and good flex fatigue resistance, overturn the conventional touch of tungsten metal and tungsten alloy.
Excellent workability: soft and smooth, easy to work with and to be cut, high freedom in shape.
Perfect environmental suitability: non-toxic, no pollution to soil, water and air, solving the problem of lead in non-hazardous radiation shielding applications.

Tungsten Polymers X-ray Absorption for Medical Devices

Tungsten polymers are used to produce catheters and other devices that are inserted into the body for diagnostic or interventional procedures are commonly filled with substances opaque to x-rays, thereby rendering the devices visible under fluoroscopy or x-ray imaging.

These fillers, or radiopacifiers—tungsten(typically dense metal powders)—affect the energy attenuation of photons in an x-ray beam as it passes through matter, reducing the intensity of the photons by absorbing or deflecting them, could be a suitable material for X-ray absorption for many radioan facilities especially medical devices. Because these materials exhibit a higher attenuation coefficient than soft tissue or bone, they appear lighter on a fluoroscope or x-ray film. This visibility provides the contrast needed to accurately position the device in the affected area. Image contrast and sharpness can be varied by the type and amount of radiopacifier used, and can be tailored to the specific application of the device.

Where Do X-rays Come From?

An x-ray machine, like that used in a doctor's or a dentist's office, is really very simple, but inside the machine is an x-ray tube, then X-rays come from that.

An electron gun inside the tube shoots high energy electrons at a target made of heavy atoms, such as tungsten material. X-rays come out because of atomic processes induced by the energetic electrons shot at the target. Tungsten material is a suitable choice for radiation protection, for more details, you could click X-rays protection.

Why Tungsten is Good Choice for Radiation Protection

Tungsten material could reduce the size and volume to have a better radiation absorption environment, which is much superior to lead, because of its high density rage from 17.0g/cm3 to 18.5g/cm3, then much denser. When you need to direct a specific amount of radiation to a targeted area, tungsten provides a control you need even under extreme, high-heat conditions.

Therefore, tungsten is popular for radioactive source containers, gamma radiography, source holders for oil-well logging and industrial instrumentation; also used widely for medical radiation protection such as in cancer therapy, syringe injections radioactive protection, X-ray examination, gamma knife operation, etc.