Advances in technology continue to improve business processes and even treatments in hospitals and healthcare institutions. In fact, radiation usage in diagnosing and treating patients continues to save hundreds of lives and has significantly advanced the field of medicine all over.
At the same time, radiation use comes with a fair number of risks. People who are exposed to radiation specially in the health sector need to be comprehensively trained in radiation safety, the  side effects of radiation and also injury prevention to ensure patient safety.
Ever since, scientists and industry experts discovered the adverse effects of radiation on the human body, they have been actively developing alternative shielding materials to ensure adequate protection against radiation.
One of the discoveries in modern times is the emergence of absorber material as an effective way to reduce radiation exposure.  For many years, lead was the primary choice to manufacture radiation shielding materials. Lead shielding is widely used in a range of applications from diagnostic imaging to radiation therapy and nuclear and industrial shielding too.
So what made lead the forerunner in radiation shielding products? For one, it not only provides durable shielding but is also cost-effective and easy to process. But all this has come at a cost. Particularly, an overwhelming rise in health, safety, and environmental concerns as the mining, processing, handling, and disposal of lead became a concern.
Shielding-A Proven Process Against Radiation Exposure
This is why shielding is a tested, proven process to mitigate external radiation exposure. It is also the reason why X-Ray Scanner manufacturers had to move product development & procurement efforts to focus on using more lead-free radiation shielding materials.
Today thanks to advances in technology, many eco-friendly, durable materials can be used as a lead replacement for radiation shielding or weighting applications. In fact, Radiation Shielding Materials are used in shielding garments – commonly used to protect medical patients and workers from radiation during diagnostic imaging in hospitals, clinics and dental offices.
These qualities, make lead the chosen element for radiation protection. Now advances in radiation shielding material technology can produce two alternative materials – lead composite and lead-free radiation shielding.
3 Most Common Materials Used in Radiation Shielding
Radiation shielding materials vary greatly, but there are three prominent ones that are used most commonly in many industries. Though, all three types of shielding materials have their own features and benefits, there are several factors to need to consider before making a decision.
Conventional Lead Shielding
As a chemical component that is ideally soft, malleable, and resistant to corrosion, lead is the automatic choice for long-term protection. Lead in its purest and pristine form is essentially brittle. At the same time, when mixed with vinyl and other binders, the same brittle lead transforms into a flexible and durable material.
This is precisely the reason why lead traditionally was used in multiple applications because of its cost, mass and shielding capability. Today, manufacturers are taking precautions to reduce its toxicity and make it environmentally-friendly. This is why lead-free shielding materials are preferred for being cost-effective and ecologically sound.
Lead Composite Shielding
A second popular option is lead composite shielding. It involves mixing lead with lighter materials which helps it ensure a good level of protection. Ideally, the lead-based composite blends attain a proprietary mixture of lead and other heavy metals.
Lead-Free Shielding
An efficient and cost-effective way to create lead shielding include nontoxic, polymer-metal, composite materials. They help eliminate the hazards associated with lead materials. Compared to traditional materials, they are generally available at lower costs.
Lead free composite molding allows scientists and experts to create materials that offer the same amount of protection as lead composite shielding when combined. Further, they can be custom formulated to suit densities, impact strengths, flexibilities, and heat-deflection temperatures.
The usage of radiation based processes is only going to increase each day. This means any professional responsible for producing, handling and disposing lead-based materials and products could always be at risk. Now individuals across industries can work with an enhanced understanding of the potentially fatal effects of lead exposure.
SciWise Trusted For Radiation Shielding
SciWise are the acclaimed experts in lead-free radiation shielding materials. Today, we develop and offer a range of RoHS-compliant, high-gravity composite (HGC) compounds to answer a widespread industry issue of using lead-based materials for radiation shielding applications.
Tungsten shielding materials from T-Flex® are an excellent choice for all of your shielding requirements. Tungsten-​impregnated-silicone or Bismuth impregnated silicone are options for lead free shielding.
Easy Material Availability
SciWise helps clients in a variety of ways. Our products are formulated using a wide variety of commercially-available materials. This means you can rely on a consistent and uninterrupted supply source for your radiation shielding products. We are partnered with globally renowned organizations like NPO USA-Eichrom Technologies Inc. which offers cost effective options and allows us to easily pass on our value to you.
You can be assured that SciWise clients easily meet all mandated requirements. This is due to the face that we also offer clients improved design flexibility. This allows you to significantly reduce or completely eliminate expensive secondary machining operations.
Our clients rely on our ability to specialize in developing radiation shielding parts in the specific size or composition you seek. We can also customize any features and functions into a single component. This potentially reduces the number of parts in an assembly.
Our radiation shielding materials are available in a broad spectrum of densities and can be customized to match a specific product application. This means, clients can optimize the amount of shielding required for an application, and considerably lower costs and remove excess weight.
Radiation Shielding Done Right With SciWise
With SciWise, you can transition to lead-free shielding. This helps you create a safer workplace. Plus, you can minimize the unnecessary strain on the environment which is caused by lead. In addition, you can count on SciWise radiation shielding materials to provide unmatched  supply availability, minimized tooling, and a higher level of performance.
Whether you want to replace existing heavy lead blankets with tungsten shielding or individual components, get in touch with us today. The experts at SciWise are skilled at creating a custom design for you that provides equal or better radiation shielding and yet outperforms lead-based solutions in a cost-effective manner.
TRUSTED, STATE-OF-THE-ART PROVIDER
Across Canada, SciWise Solutions is a trusted and state-of-the-art provider of radiation detection and shielding solutions. We serve clients in a variety of core nuclear industry sectors including Nuclear Power Plants, Military and Defence, Federal Government Labs, Utilities & Research and more.
SciWise is renowned for its innovative measuring and custom solutions that meet client objectives. Plus, our quality management system is certified to: ISO 9001:2015 and CSA N299 4-16. At SciWise, we put your needs first.
Check Out our full range of services at SciWise.ca/services.
At SciWise, our professional team of industry experts is ready to assist you in answering all your radiation shielding queries and developing and deploying the products you seek.
Get in touch with us today to learn more!
Call SciWise Solutions at (647) 919-6000 to Schedule Your Consultation Today!
