Fundamental Research and Experimental
Work on Properties of Tungsten Micro-
and Nanoparticle Structured Composite
Material
G. Boka, Y. Dekhtyar, S. Bikova, Y. Bauman, P. Eizentals, A. Svarca,
and M. Kuzminskis
Abstract
Tungsten micro- and nanoparticle structured composite
have been demonstrated recently as a promising material
for protection of the radiation therapy patient against
radiation. The shielding properties of the composite to a
great extent depends on the homogeneity. The present
research concentrates on the experimental investigation of
the homogeneity of the synthesized composite in depen-
dence on the material mixing methods, particle size, and
concentration. The material radiation attenuation proper-
ties were explored as well. It was observed that the
tendency to form agglomerates becomes greater if
tungsten particle size decreases. The best particle distri-
bution uniformity in the composite was obtained with
ultrasound disperser. Most effective radiation absorption
was observed for the samples with a particle size of
500 nm and 50 nm.


Keywords
Tungsten nanoparticles Radiation therapy
Tungsten wax composite
1 Introduction
The incidence of malignant tumors remains the major health
problem worldwide. One of the most typical cancer treat-
ment procedures is radiation therapy. The main struggle in
radiation therapy is to provide a necessary dose to the cancer
target volume while protecting the surrounding healthy tis-
sue. If tumor volume is close to the eyes, ears or lips,
G. Boka
S. Bikova
Y. Bauman
A. Svarca
Riga East University Hospital, Clinic of Therapeutic Radiology
and Medical Physics, Riga, Latvia
G. Boka
Y. Dekhtyar
S. Bikova
P. Eizentals (&)
M.
Kuzminskis
Riga Technical University, Riga, Latvia
e-mail: peteris.eizentals@gmail.com
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2019
L. Lhotska et al. (eds.), World Congress on Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering 2018,
IFMBE Proceedings 68/3, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-9023-3_114
individually applicable metal alloy (Bi–Sn–Pb) masks are
used to protect these organs. The manufacturing process of
these masks is time-consuming and complex. In addition, the
lead is known to be a toxic material. Another serious
problem is electron backscatter from the mask, especially
from the material edges. This effect leads to skin dose
increase by 30–70% [1].
In recent years, polymer materials with metal nanoparti-
cles became widely used for protection of electronics from
radiation [2]. This idea was adopted to simplify protective
mask manufacturing process, hereby new polymer-based
tungsten micro/nanoparticle structured composite material
was developed [3]. The material is plastic after warm—up in
hands, non-allergic and non-toxic. The non-toxicity of the
tungsten is a great advantage, compared to the lead, being in
use typically. The transmission factor of the developed
material in the range of beam energies 6–12 meV was close
to one of the Bi–Sn–Pb alloy and does not exceed 2.7%, that
makes the material suitable for manufacturing of radiation
therapy masks.
The absorption properties of the developed polymer wax
—tungsten composite strongly depend on its homogeneity.
The present paper explores the homogeneity of the synthe-
sized composite in dependence on the material mixing
methods, particle size, and concentration. In addition, the
radiation attenuation of the obtained composite materials
was studied.
2 Materials and Methods
The composite was made by mixing melted polymer wax
with tungsten powder of three different fraction size: 50 nm,
500 nm, and 5 lm [4] (Fig. 1). The proportion of composite
compound mass was 2:1 (tungsten particles:micro wax). For
material mixing, two different methods were used. One of
them is ultrasonic processor UP50H and the other—ultra-
sonic dispergator [4]. The samples were molded in a 1 cm
thick plates sized 4  4 cm2 [5].
619
620
Fig. 1 Micro wax (left) and
tungsten particle powder (right)
The homogeneity of the material was studied using
scanning electron microscope Hitachi TM 3000 with reso-
lution 30 nm. The preparation of substrate was difficult due
to the plasticity of the material there was not possible to cut a
thin material slice. Instead, thin material layers were smeared
[4]. The composite which showed the best homogeneity was
used for further radiation absorption property research.
Composite’s absorption was characterized by transmis-
sion factor. The measurements were performed for electron
radiation supplied from a linear accelerator Clinac 2100C/D
(Varian Medical Systems, USA). The sample was irradiated
with electron energy 9 meV which is usually used to treat
tumors close to skin surface [4]. Delivered dose was 3 Gy to
the depth of the dose maximum. An incident radiation beam
was perpendicular to the surface of a solid water phantom,
on which the specimens were located. The used radiation
detector was Scanditronix Wellhöfer plane parallel
ion-chamber type PPC05 with its active volume 0.05 cm3.
Measurements were repeated five times for each test sample.
The transmission factor was calculated using the equation
QðpCÞ
TFð%Þ ¼
100 ð1Þ
Qof ðpCÞ
where Q(pC) is chamber registered charge with the com-
posite specimen in the radiation field, Qof (pC)—chamber
registered a charge for open field without a specimen.
The planar dose distributions perpendicular to the central
axis were measured by using Gafchromic EBT2
self-developing films in solid water phantom [3]. RGB
Canon ScanLide100 scanner was used to scan exposed films.
For the film, the optical density reconstruction only red color
channel was used because for doses up to 3 Gy scanner
G. Boka et al.
provides the most sensitive response for this color channel.
The scanner output resolution was set to 75 dpi. Acquisition
and analysis of images were performed using PTW (Frei-
burg, Germany) software. Dose distributions were calculated
using the obtained optical density—dose calibration curves.
The scattering effect for metal alloy and the composite
material was compared by subtracting one dose distribution
from another, using the equation
Dmetal block  Dcomposite block
Scattering effect ¼ ð2Þ
Dmetal block
3 Results and Discussion
Eight different material structures were made: three of them
were made with every fraction size (5 lm, 50 nm, and
500 nm) and micro wax mixed with the ultrasonic processor;
three mixed with ultrasonic dispergator; two samples were
the compound of all three fractions particles and micro wax
mixed either with the ultrasonic processor or ultrasonic
dispergator.
Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images were ana-
lyzed in different magnifications (200, 500 and 1500 times)
to get precise homogeneity evaluation. For better image
comparison, just images with 500-time magnification were
analyzed in this paper.
For the material with 5 lm tungsten particles, more
inhomogeneity was observed in a sample mixed with US
processor. No significant difference was observed between
particle distributions in a material with different mixing
methods. It is described as fact that particles with big sizes
Fundamental Research and Experimental Work on Properties of …
Fig. 2 SEM images of the
prepared samples. 50 nm particles
(top row), 500 nm particles
(middle row) and 5 lm particles
(bottom row), particles mixed
with US processor (left column)
and particles mixed with US
dispergator (right column)
do not tend to make agglomerates, so relatively good
homogeneity can be obtained with both mixing methods [4]
(Fig. 2).
For the composite with 500 nm sized particles, the dif-
ference in homogeneity of the samples, mixed with different
methods are well expressed. The material mixed with US
processor had a considerable amount of agglomerates with
size up to 60 lm. The inhomogeneity change material
absorption properties. For material mixed with US disper-
gator, particles distribution was with better homogeneity.
The homogeneity differences between two material
samples with 50 nm particles mixed with different methods
were observed, as well. Sample mixed with US processor
was more non-homogenous, comparing to one mixed with
US dispergator.
621
For samples with the best homogeneity, radiation
absorption properties were analyzed. As it follows the image
analysis, the better homogeneity was obtained by means of
US dispergator. Three different material structures were
made: three of them were made with every fraction size of
particles (5 lm, 50 nm, and 500 nm) mixed with micro wax.
Two of samples was the compound of all three fraction size
particles mixed with micro wax. All materials were mixed
with US dispergator. Transmission factor for all samples is
summarized in Table 1.
The highest transmission factor was observed for com-
posite made of 5 µm particles. Surprisingly, use of the
mixture of all three fractions did not reduce transmission
factor, it remains higher for material with smaller particles.
All transmission values are below tolerance value of 5%.
622 G. Boka et al.

Table 1 Transmission factors for samples factor 2.1%). It means, that this material can be used in
Tungsten fraction size in sample Transmission factor (%) electron radiation therapy protection mask manufacturing.
5 lm 3.6
Conflict of Interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of
500 nm 2.1
interest.
50 nm 2.1
5 lm + 500 nm + 50 nm first 2.6
5 lm + 500 nm + 50 nm second 2.3 References
First research result 1.5
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4 Conclusions 2. Marcos J., Jurado M., Carapelle A., Orava R. Radiation Shielding of
Composite Space Enclosures. Spain: TECNALIA, 2013. 10 p.
3. G. Boka, E. Reine, A. Svarca, M. Kuzminskis, S. Bikova, Y.
This paper introduced a novel material for radiation pro- Bauman, Y. Dekhtyar, “Absorption and scatter properties of
tection mask production for cancer treatment. The new tungsten structured composite material”, ENCY2015, Budapest,
material consists of tungsten micro and nanoparticles and May 28–30, 2015.
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micro wax base. radiation protection in radiotherapy”, Master’s thesis, Riga Tech-
The best homogeneity of the material could be achieved by nical University, 2014.
mixing of components with US dispergator. US processor 5. Reine E., “Absorption and scattering properties of tungsten
could be used for mixing only for particles, bigger than 5 µm. composite material”, Master’s thesis, Riga Technical University,
2013.
Absorption properties are better for materials manufac-
tured with smaller particles 500 and 50 nm (Transmission