X-ray attenuation properties of carbon nanotubes filled composite materials

Aim of the work is the characterization of carbon nanotubes filled composite material in terms of radiation shielding capability. The evaluation of both linear and mass attenuation coefficient in low energy (up to 30keV) X-ray range for different carbon-based polymeric composites is presented. The preliminary results show the intriguing capability provided by composites realized by including few weight percentages (<;2%) of carbon nanotubes within a commercial epoxy matrix, thus suggesting the effective possibility to employ such materials for both structural and radiation shielding applications.