MULTICOMPONENT X-RAY PROTECTIVE MATERIALS - AN ANALYTICAL STUDY WITH ALLOWANCE FOR FLUORESCENCE RERADIATION

An analytical procedure is proposed, whereby one can calculate the X-ray flux in the bulk of and beyond a multicomponent barrier and determine energy absorption in the material and in each of its components with allowance for photoabsorption and for the yield of fluorescence emission and high-energy photoelectrons. The procedure draws upon unified approximations for the original X-ray spectrum, the photoabsorption coefficients of the elements, and second- and third-order integroexponential functions, and thus leads to a fairly simple program for a personal computer. A comparative study is described of single- and multicomponent X-ray protective materials used as radiation shields for typical X-ray units. The significant role of the composition and of fluorescence radiation is demonstrated with reference to shields containing cerium and tin in various proportions. Real lead-free. multicomponent compositions and the X-ray protective properties of materials on their basis are examined.