Preparation and Shielding Performance of Gamma Ray Shielding Composite Materials Based on 3D Printing Technology

Abstract Excessive gamma-rays will be emitted when a nuclear power plant is under the refueling overhaul, leading to a certain number of hotspots. To meet the shielding requirements of these hotspots of complex components, a nylon-tungsten shielding composite material was developed by laser selective sintering 3D printing technology. The effects to shielding performance of 3D printing shielding materials were emphatically studied for two preparation processes (including mechanical mixing method and coating method) of 3D printing composite powders. Experimental results show that the nylon-tungsten shielding composite material with tungsten content of 70–85% was obtained by 3D printing technology, which realizes the manufacture of mold-free customized and bonded shielding materials. The shielding material prepared by 3D printing technology by coating method is better than that by mechanical mixing method in shielding performance. When the mass ratio of tungsten powders is 80%, the linear attenuation coefficient can reach 0.32, which is the best formula of the composite material and can be used for shielding of complex components. All these results lay a theoretical foundation for the engineering application of 3D printing shielding materials.