An elastic, radiation shielding material that can be severed readily with conventional tools, such as scissors and is sufficiently flexible so as to allow wrapping it around piping and tubing. The radiation shielding material comprises a rubber component and a radiation attenuating metal in amounts effective to obtain a desired balance of flexibility and radiation attenuation, respectively. By varying the amount of rubber and metal in the material a desired level of flexibility and radiation attenuation may be obtained.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/803,035, filed Mar. 12, 2001 now abandoned, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Disclosed is a fire-resistant lead-free shield material having high shielding ability against nuclear or electromagnetic radiation, and excellent bending workability and handling performance. The shield material comprises a composite material consisting of an organic material and a metal or metal compound having a nuclear or electromagnetic radiation-shielding ability. The composite material is formed into a given shape, such as a plate shape, and wrapped with a cloth-like sheet formed of glass fibers, metal fibers or carbon fibers. Alternatively, the shield material comprises a shielding element consisting of an elastic polymeric organic compound and a particle having a nuclear or electromagnetic radiation-shielding ability, such a heavy metal or ferrite. The shield material also includes either one of a film made of polyethylene, nylon, polyester or metal, a wire mesh formed of nylon fiber or metal fiber, and a plate- or rod-shaped member having a surface formed with a protrusion, which is compression-bonded onto or in the vicinity of a surface of the shielding element, or inside the shielding element.
