Photon Shielding Performance of Polycarbonate/Poly (Methyl Methacrylate) Composites Reinforced with Zinc Cobalt Oxide, Titanium Silicon Carbide, and Molybdenum Gallium Carbide

The development of lightweight and lead-free radiation shielding materials has attracted considerable attention for medical, industrial, and nuclear applications. In this study, the photon attenuation characteristics of theoretically modeled polycarbonate/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PC/PMMA) composites reinforced with zinc cobalt oxide (ZnCo2O4), titanium silicon carbide (Ti3SiC2), and molybdenum gallium carbide (Mo2GaC) were investigated within the photon energy range 0.01 MeV–15 MeV. The mass and linear attenuation coefficients of the prepared composites were evaluated using the Phy-X software. Based on the obtained attenuation parameters, the half and tenth value layers, mean free path, effective atomic number, equivalent atomic number, and effective electron density were determined. Furthermore, the exposure buildup factor and energy absorption buildup factor were analyzed to assess the photon interaction behavior at different penetration depths and energies. The results demonstrated that the incorporation of high-density ceramic and carbide fillers significantly improved the radiation shielding capability of the PC/PMMA matrix, particularly at low and intermediate photon energies where photoelectric absorption and Compton scattering dominate. Among the investigated composites, the sample containing Mo2GaC exhibited superior attenuation performance due to their relatively higher atomic numbers and electron densities. The findings indicate that the developed composites are promising candidates for environmentally friendly gamma-ray shielding applications.