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Filak-Mędoń K, Fornalski KW, Bonczyk M, Jakubowska A, Kempny K, Wołoszczuk K, Filipczak K, Żerańska K, Zdrojek M. Graphene-based nanocomposites as gamma- and X-ray radiation shield. Sci Rep 2024; 14:18998. [PMID: 39152207 PMCID: PMC11329645 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-69628-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Commonly used materials for protection against ionizing radiation (gamma and X-ray energy range) primarily rely on high-density materials, like lead, steel, or tungsten. However, these materials are heavy and often impractical for various applications, especially where weight is a key parameter, like in avionics or space technology. Here, we study the shielding properties of an alternative light material-a graphene-based composite with a relatively low density ~ 1 g/cm3. We demonstrate that the linear attenuation coefficient is energy of radiation dependent, and it is validated by the XCOM model, showing relatively good agreement. We also show that the mass attenuation coefficient for selected radiation energies is at least comparable with other known materials, exceeding the value of 0.2 cm2/g for higher energies. This study proves the usefulness of a commonly used model for predicting the attenuation of gamma and X-ray radiation for new materials. It shows a new potential candidate for shielding application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Filak-Mędoń
- Faculty of Physics, Warsaw University of Technology, Koszykowa 75, 00-662, Warszawa, Poland.
| | - Krzysztof W Fornalski
- Faculty of Physics, Warsaw University of Technology, Koszykowa 75, 00-662, Warszawa, Poland
| | - Michał Bonczyk
- Silesian Centre for Environmental Radioactivity, Central Mining Institute - National Research Institute (GIG-PIB), Plac Gwarków 1, 40-166, Katowice, Poland
| | - Alicja Jakubowska
- Central Laboratory for Radiological Protection (CLOR), Konwaliowa 7, 03-194, Warszawa, Poland
| | - Kamila Kempny
- Central Laboratory for Radiological Protection (CLOR), Konwaliowa 7, 03-194, Warszawa, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Wołoszczuk
- Central Laboratory for Radiological Protection (CLOR), Konwaliowa 7, 03-194, Warszawa, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Filipczak
- Department of Quality Control and Radiation Protection, Medical University of Łódź, 92-216, Łódź, Poland
| | - Klaudia Żerańska
- Faculty of Physics, Warsaw University of Technology, Koszykowa 75, 00-662, Warszawa, Poland
| | - Mariusz Zdrojek
- Faculty of Physics, Warsaw University of Technology, Koszykowa 75, 00-662, Warszawa, Poland
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Youssef WM, El-Maadawy MM, Masoud AM, Alhindawy IG, Hussein AEM. Uranium capture from aqueous solution using palm-waste based activated carbon: sorption kinetics and equilibrium. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2024; 196:428. [PMID: 38573523 PMCID: PMC10995074 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-024-12560-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Carbonaceous materials produced from agricultural waste (palm kernel shell) by pyrolysis can be a proper type of low-cost adsorbent for wide uses in radioactive effluent treatment. In this context, the as-produced bio-char (labeled as PBC) and its sub-driven sulfuric acid and zinc oxide activated carbons (labeled as PBC-SA, and PBC-Zn respectively) were employed as adsorbents for uranium sorption from aqueous solution. Various analytical techniques, including SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy), EXD (X-ray Diffraction), BET (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller), FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy), and Zeta potential, provide insights into the material characteristics. Kinetic and isotherm investigations illuminated that the sorption process using the three sorbents is nicely fitted with Pseudo-second-order-kinetic and Langmuir isotherm models. The picked data display that the equilibrium time was 60 min, and the maximum sorption capacity was 9.89, 16.8, and 21.9 mg/g for PBC, PBC-SA, and PBC-Zn respectively, which reflects the highest affinity for zinc oxide, activated bio-char, among the three adsorbents, for uranium taking out from radioactive wastewater. Sorption thermodynamics declare that the sorption of U(VI) is an exothermic, spontaneous, and feasible process. About 92% of the uranium-loaded PBC-Zn sorbent was eluted using 1.0 M CH3COONa sodium ethanoate solution, and the sorbent demonstrated proper stability for 5 consecutive sorption/desorption cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - A M Masoud
- Nuclear Materials Authority, Cairo, Egypt.
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Cendrowski K, Federowicz K, Techman M, Chougan M, El-Khayatt AM, Saudi HA, Kędzierski T, Mijowska E, Strzałkowski J, Sibera D, Abd Elrahman M, Sikora P. Functional Bi 2O 3/Gd 2O 3 Silica-Coated Structures for Improvement of Early Age and Radiation Shielding Performance of Cement Pastes. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 14:168. [PMID: 38251133 PMCID: PMC10819170 DOI: 10.3390/nano14020168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
This study presents a new approach towards the production of sol-gel silica-coated Bi2O3/Gd2O3 cement additives towards the improvement of early mechanical performance and radiation attenuation. Two types of silica coatings, which varied in synthesis method and morphology, were used to coat Bi2O3/Gd2O3 structures and evaluated as a cement filler in Portland cement pastes. Isothermal calorimetry studies and early strength evaluations confirmed that both proposed coating types can overcome retarded cement hydration process, attributed to Bi2O3 presence, resulting in improved one day compressive strength by 300% and 251% (depending on coating method) when compared to paste containing pristine Bi2O3 and Gd2O3 particles. Moreover, depending on the type of chosen coating type, various rheological performances of cement pastes can be achieved. Thanks to the proposed combination of materials, both gamma-rays and slow neutron attenuation in cement pastes can be simultaneously improved. The introduction of silica coating resulted in an increment of the gamma-ray and neutron shielding thanks to the increased probability of radiation interaction. Along with the positive early age effects of the synthesized structures, the 28 day mechanical performance of cement pastes was not suppressed, and was found to be comparable to that of the control specimen. As an outcome, silica-coated structures can be successfully used in radiation-shielding cement-based composites, e.g. with demanding early age performances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof Cendrowski
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, 70-311 Szczecin, Poland; (K.C.); (K.F.); (M.T.); (J.S.); (D.S.)
| | - Karol Federowicz
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, 70-311 Szczecin, Poland; (K.C.); (K.F.); (M.T.); (J.S.); (D.S.)
| | - Mateusz Techman
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, 70-311 Szczecin, Poland; (K.C.); (K.F.); (M.T.); (J.S.); (D.S.)
| | - Mehdi Chougan
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UK;
| | - Ahmed M. El-Khayatt
- Department of Physics, College of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh 11564, Saudi Arabia;
- Reactor Physics Department, Nuclear Research Centre, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo 13759, Egypt
| | - H. A. Saudi
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Women Branch, Nasr City 11754, Egypt;
| | - Tomasz Kędzierski
- Department of Nanomaterials Physicochemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, 70-310 Szczecin, Poland; (T.K.); (E.M.)
| | - Ewa Mijowska
- Department of Nanomaterials Physicochemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, 70-310 Szczecin, Poland; (T.K.); (E.M.)
| | - Jarosław Strzałkowski
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, 70-311 Szczecin, Poland; (K.C.); (K.F.); (M.T.); (J.S.); (D.S.)
| | - Daniel Sibera
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, 70-311 Szczecin, Poland; (K.C.); (K.F.); (M.T.); (J.S.); (D.S.)
| | - Mohamed Abd Elrahman
- Structural Engineering Department, Mansoura University, Mansoura City 35516, Egypt;
| | - Pawel Sikora
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, 70-311 Szczecin, Poland; (K.C.); (K.F.); (M.T.); (J.S.); (D.S.)
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Tolan DA, El-Sawaf AK, Alhindawy IG, Ismael MH, Nassar AA, El-Nahas AM, Maize M, Elshehy EA, El-Khouly ME. Effect of bismuth doping on the crystal structure and photocatalytic activity of titanium oxide. RSC Adv 2023; 13:25081-25092. [PMID: 37622010 PMCID: PMC10445215 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra04034h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The doping of TiO2 with metals and non-metals is considered one of the most significant approaches to improve its photocatalytic efficiency. In this study, the photodegradation of methyl orange (MO) was examined in relation to the impact of Bi-doping of TiO2. The doped TiO2 with various concentrations of metal was successfully synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal method and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and UV-vis spectroscopy. The XRD results revealed that the anatase phase, with an average crystallite size of 16.2 nm, was the main phase of TiO2. According to the anatase texture results, it was found that the doping of TiO2 increased the specific surface area for Bi2O3@TiO2 without a change in the crystal structure or the crystal phase of TiO2. Also, XPS analysis confirmed the formation of Ti4+ and Ti3+ as a result of doping with Bi. The activities of both pure TiO2 and Bi-doped TiO2 were tested to study their ability to decolorize MO dye in an aqueous solution. The photocatalytic degradation of MO over Bi2O3@TiO2 reached 98.21%, which was much higher than the 42% achieved by pure TiO2. Doping TiO2 with Bi increased its visible-light absorption as Bi-doping generated a new intermediate energy level below the CB edge of the TiO2 orbitals, causing a shift in the band gap from the UV to the visible region, thus enhancing its photocatalytic efficiency. In addition, the effects of the initial pH, initial pollutant concentration, and contact time were examined and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dina A Tolan
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science and Humanities, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University Alkharj 11942 Saudi Arabia
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University Shibin El-Kom Egypt
| | - Ayman K El-Sawaf
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science and Humanities, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University Alkharj 11942 Saudi Arabia
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University Shibin El-Kom Egypt
| | | | | | - Amal A Nassar
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science and Humanities, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University Alkharj 11942 Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed M El-Nahas
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University Shibin El-Kom Egypt
| | - Mai Maize
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University Shibin El-Kom Egypt
| | | | - Mohamed E El-Khouly
- Institute of Basic and Applied Sciences, Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST) Alexandria 21934 Egypt
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