This work introduces a novel polymer ink that was especially designed to fabricate 3D printed pads using direct ink writing (DIW) techniques. The viscoelastic ink is based on polydimethylsiloxane and contains a large concentration of bismuth, an efficient element for shielding ionizing radiation due to its high atomic number. 3D printed pads were fabricated in simple cubic (SC) and face-centered tetragonal (FCT) geometries and were subjected to moderate doses of gamma radiation in an inert atmosphere and air to evaluate its tolerance to ionizing radiation. Irradiated pads were investigated to determine effects of ionizing radiation on structure-property relationships. Pads were characterized by thermal (DSC and TGA), chemical (FT-IR, NMR, solvent swelling), optical microscopy, and mechanical (uniaxial compressive load) techniques. Radiation exposure induced cross-linking reactions that predominated over chain scission reactions for the dose range investigated. Radiation exposure resulted in decreased molecular weight between cross-links, thereby hardening the pads. Incorporation of bismuth into the DIW resin significantly reduced cross-linking reactions and increased radiation-stability of the DIW pads.<br/>

3D printed siloxane pads for gamma radiation shielding

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.