الفهرس 
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Abstract
This study involved creating composite materials by combining natural rubber (NR) and acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) with nano-silica loaded bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) at different concentrations ranging from 0 to 45 parts per hundred parts of rubber (phr). We measured how these composites attenuated gamma radiation at varying Bi2O3 concentrations. Furthermore, we assessed the mechanical properties of these composites, including hardness, tensile strength, and elongation. The compositions with a Bi2O3 concentration of 20 phr displayed the highest tensile strength and elongation at break, with a subsequent decrease as the Bi2O3 concentration increased.
The gamma mass attenuation coefficient (µm) of the composite increased as the Bi2O3 concentration went from 0 to 45 phr, with values ranging from 0.083 to 0.090 cm2/g at 0.662MeV. Additionally, we determined the fast neutron mass removal cross-section (FNRCS), which ranged from 0.092 to 0.072 cm2/g, corresponding to the variation in Bi2O3 concentration from 0 to 45 phr. We also examined various parameters related to gamma ray shielding, such as the half and tenth value layer (HVL, TVL), exposure build-up factor (EBF) up to a 40 mean free path (mfp) penetration depth, and effective atomic number and electron density (Zeff, Neff).
We tested the radiation-induced aging of the prepared blend by measuring its shielding capability after exposure to radiation and assessing changes in its mechanical properties and porosity. The results indicate that the prepared composites could find applications in various radiation protection scenarios.
Key words: Nitrile rubber (NBR), natural rubber (NR), bismuth, gamma shielding, buildup factor, neutron removal cross section.