Attenuation and moderation of neutrons and attenuation of electrons in a few types of polymers for material testing

Abstract EN

-Polyethylene, PVC, and other polymers’ neutron attenuation was investigated using a 241Am-Be source.

This source is widely used in mineral exploration, elemental analysis, radiography, and in other applications.

Polyethylene showed the highest density thickness attenuation, while both PVC and polyethylene exhibited close values linear thickness attenuation.

Neutron moderation in polymers was also studied.

The data obtained from both attenuation and moderation of neutrons can be utilized for polymer material property tests, such as thickness, density and existence of voids and impurities.

Data from electron interaction with polymers studies, using 207Bi conversion electron source, showed that the process can be utilized for polymer thin film material property tests.

These techniques are noncontact, nondestructive tests, and their results are immediately available.