In this study, we employed 3D printing technology to fabricate poly lactic acid (PLA) polymer samples infused with gadolinium oxide nanoparticles at additive rates of 10% and 20%. The objective was to explore their potential as radiation shielding aprons within the medical X-ray and thermal neutron energy spectrum. To facilitate comparisons, a PLA polymer sample with no additive was also produced. The homogeneity and well-defined structures of the PLA samples were observed using SEM and EDS analyses. Additionally, the excellent thermal stability of the proposed test samples was reported. In terms of gamma-ray shielding, there is a remarkable consistency between experiment, theory and simulation outcomes with a maximum discrepancy of approximately 5%. P-PLA-Gd20 sample exhibits attenuation capabilities against X-rays to a level that could serve as an alternative to lead. Additionally, the thermal and fast neutron attenuation effectiveness of the prepared samples were determined. A shielding effectiveness of 100% against thermal neutrons was achieved using a 10 mm sample thickness and the P-PLA-Gd20 sample. The findings consistently highlight the efficacy of the proposed polymer sample with a 20% gadolinium oxide nanoparticle additive, positioning it as a viable and promising alternative to traditional lead aprons.

中文翻译：

---

医用 X 射线和热中子能量范围内的新型 3D 打印无铅辐射防护围裙

在这项研究中，我们采用 3D 打印技术来制造注入氧化钆纳米颗粒的聚乳酸 (PLA) 聚合物样品，添加比例为 10% 和 20%。目的是探索它们作为医用 X 射线和热中子能谱中的辐射屏蔽围裙的潜力。为了便于比较，还生产了不含添加剂的PLA聚合物样品。使用 SEM 和 EDS 分析观察 PLA 样品的均匀性和明确的结构。此外，报告称所提出的测试样品具有出色的热稳定性。在伽马射线屏蔽方面，实验、理论和模拟结果之间具有显着的一致性，最大差异约为5%。 P-PLA-Gd20 样品对 X 射线的衰减能力达到了可以替代铅的水平。此外，还确定了所制备样品的热衰减和快中子衰减效果。使用 10 毫米厚度的样品和 P-PLA-Gd20 样品，实现了 100% 的热中子屏蔽效能。研究结果一致强调了所提出的含有 20% 氧化钆纳米粒子添加剂的聚合物样品的功效，使其成为传统铅围裙的可行且有前途的替代品。