A light, flexible polymer material developed at the University of Waterloo can replace lead in heavy X-ray aprons, reducing weight by almost 90% while providing similar protection from harmful radiation.
A heavy lead apron may be fine for patients who only have occasional x-rays, but technicians who wear it every day often experience back and neck pain. As a result, some people are forced to retire early. ”
AS Dr. Tizaz Mekonnen, Professor of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo
Most aprons that are used over long periods of time emit lead dust, which can be inhaled or ingested by workers. Lead affects many areas of the body, including the cardiovascular and nervous systems, and the World Health Organization does not consider any amount of exposure to be safe.
“Our study shows that radiation shielding does not need to rely on toxic and heavy materials like lead,” Mekonnen said. “By engineering the size, shape, placement, and distribution of nanoparticles within flexible polymers, we can achieve superior X-ray protection while significantly reducing weight. This opens the door to safer and more comfortable shielding materials for healthcare workers and those exposed to radiation on a daily basis.”
The researchers experimented with several alternatives to lead, including bismuth, gadolinium, barium, and other heavy metals, before focusing on tungsten, which is better at blocking X-rays because of its higher atomic density.
They first processed tungsten into small nanoparticles and then mixed them into a soft silicone-based plastic to form a nanocomposite sheet.
To prevent the nanoparticles from making the new material too hard, they arranged them in layers called gradients. They also determined that rod-shaped nanoparticles were most effective at blocking X-rays, a necessary tool in medical, industrial inspection, security screening, and military applications.
Testing and modeling using the flexible, lightweight polymer material for the X-ray apron was conducted with Dr. Ernest Osei at Grand River Hospital in Kitchener.
Acrylic G. Messele, a doctoral student who co-authored a paper on the research, is currently exploring uses for other types of radiation, including gamma-ray emissions in the nuclear field, and for blocking electromagnetic waves from devices such as mobile phones and Wi-Fi.
“We carry our phones with us every day,” says Mekonnen, Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Multiphasic Polymers. “The effects on our bodies are unknown. What if we could design a cover to protect us from the radiation emitted by mobile phones?”
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Reference magazines:
Messere, A.G.; others. (2026) Tuning X-ray attenuation in tungsten-based nanocomposites via particle morphology, multilayering, and concentration gradients. Physics of materials today. DOI: 10.1016/j.mtphys.2026.102092. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2542529326000830?getft_integrator=scopus&pes=vor&.
