Date Thesis Awarded
5-2011
Access Type
Honors Thesis -- Access Restricted On-Campus Only
Degree Name
Bachelors of Science (BS)
Department
Chemistry
Advisor
Robert A. Orwoll
Committee Members
Richard Kiefer
Yanfang Tang
Abstract
Current radiation shielding materials are not effective for shielding astronauts and equipment for long missions. Radiation threats include galactic cosmic radiation, solar energetic particles, neutrons, and electromagnetic radiation. Novel, lightweight materials must be developed that have the appropriate radiation shielding capabilities and the thermal and mechanical abilities to be used for a wide variety of applications. Poly(arylene ethers) have excellent mechanical and thermal properties, and may be engineered to include radiation shielding components. In this research, four different high hydrogen-content poly(arylene ethers) were synthesized. A gadolinium salt and modified tungsten nanoparticles were produced to be incorporated into the polymers to provide enhanced shielding capabilities. Both thin films and a thick bar were produced. The polymers mostly showed good resistance to thermal degradation. These initial findings and future research may lead to the successful development of new materials for radiation shielding on long-term outer space missions.
Recommended Citation
Speers, Ellen Hutchins, "The Production of Novel Poly(arylene ethers) for Use as Radiation Shielding in Outer Space" (2011). Undergraduate Honors Theses. William & Mary. Paper 391.
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/honorstheses/391
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Comments
Thesis is part of Honors ETD pilot project, 2008-2013. Migrated from Dspace in 2016.