A performance study of radio-opaque personal protective fabrics for the reduction of transmittance of gamma-rays and neutrons

Abstract

Commercial radio-opaque combat (CRC) fabrics, for incorporation into personal protective equipment used by first responders and armed forces, are marketed as having the ability to provide a level of protection against specific types of radiation. For a CRC material, a standard combat uniform and a multi-layered chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear (CBRN) protective material, the present work examines chemical composition and radiation protection against gamma-rays and neutron fluxes. Significant reduction in gamma-ray transmittance occurs only for the CRC fabric (46-514 keV) with gamma-ray attenuation coefficients of 3.10 to<0.10 cm2 g-1. Reduction in neutron transmittance, for all three fabrics, could not be assessed with certainty as the measured transmittance was obscured by large statistical uncertainties. © Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, Hungary 2011.