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What You Should Know About Lead Shielding

To reduce the strength of alpha particles (helium atoms), gamma radiation, and X-ray radiation, radiation shielding is utilized (energetic electromagnetic radiation). Radiation-absorbing media are used to minimize the amount of radiation that is absorbed. The shield’s material and thickness determines the shield’s efficacy.

Specifications

  • Radiation shielding specifications include material purity (99.94 percent lead, for example), substance (such as lead or tungsten), and thickness.

  • Attenuation or blockage of radiation with a designated energy range (100 to 300 keV)

  • Liquid-cooling and application features are also critical considerations.

Standards

Organizations like Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and Underwriters Laboratories Canada (ULC) test or approve several radiation-protective products.

Types

Radiation shielding comes in a variety of forms. Lead, a heavy metal with a bluish-white hue and a high density, is used in the majority of consumer items because of its ability to block alpha, gamma, and X-ray radiation. Lead aprons, lead barriers, lead-lined blankets, lead bricks, lead curtains, lead-lined cabinet, lead-lined doors, rolled lead sheets are all examples of lead shielding.

Medical workers and patients wear lead aprons during X-ray operations as a form of radiation protection. Patients and medical equipment are protected with lead barriers and blankets. There are several applications for lead bricks, including gamma knife rooms, high dynamic range imaging, and positron emission tomography (PET) shielding.

There are a wide variety of radiation shielding materials, including rolling sheets of rolled lead and lead curtains. Vinyl-lined lead curtains are used in medical facilities where secondary or low-level radiation is present. Tracks and trolleys are often included with lead-lined drapes. Radiation-sensitive materials are stored in lead-lined cabinets inside lead-lined lab equipment. A thick layer of lead covering is sandwiched between two layers of wood.

Refined lead slabs are rolled between the rollers of a rolling mill to create rolled lead sheet. Radiation shielding providers get the rolled lead after it has been cut to length and sized for their different products. Lead is useless against beta and neutron radiation’s high-energy electrons, despite its common use in radiation shielding. Some laboratory and medical uses require high-energy shielding. High-energy radiopharmaceuticals, for example, are stored in high-energy decay drums. A mirror-polished,  X-ray shielding glass, and barium scratch resistant type lead glass, is also included in nuclear medicine equipment and accessories. It is utilized at airports and other radiation screening facilities.

Visit Nuclear Shields to get the best nuclear shielding properties of your choice.