Simulation of the interaction of accelerated electrons with an energy of 1–10 MeV with a radiation-protective polymer composite

The use of physical and mathematical modeling allows us to study the processes that occur during the interaction of accelerated electrons with different energies and materials. We are considering a polymer composite based on fluoroplastic and tungsten carbide for use as biological protection in linear particle accelerator installations with electron energies up to 10 MeV. We have investigated the possibility of modifying the filler and synthesized a radiation-protective material. We have also studied the effect of accelerated electrons on the composite and determined its strength characteristics. Modifying the tungsten carbide powder allowed us to create a hydrophobic shell. The effective electron travel length in pure fluoroplastic at the energies of 1, 5, and 10 MeV is 3, 14, and 28 nm, respectively.. The addition of 30% tungsten carbide by weight to the polymer matrix resulted in a decrease of 51–34% in the thickness of the material absorbing these particles. With a two-fold increase in filler concentration, the effective electron mileage decreased by 56–36% compared to the additive-free formulation. The change in physico-mechanical properties of the synthesized materials was estimated. The addition of 30% wt.% tungsten carbide to fluoroplast led to a 23.4% decrease in bending strength and a 16.9% increase in the two-fold filler content. The results of this work allow us to predict the behavior of composites under accelerated particle exposure and optimize their compositions to improve radiation-protective properties.