Radiation shielding performance of aggregates made by sludge with high content of heavy metal

A new method to prepare radiation shielding functional aggregate is described, and an appropriate mix ratio and a reasonable calcinated condition was engaged. The γ-ray shielding capability of both the new functional aggregates and some other nature aggregates had been measured. The linear attenuation coefficients (µ, cm^?1) of these aggregates had been calculated at photon energies from 1 keV to 10GeV using XCOM program, and measured at the photon energies of 662 keV, showing good agreement between experimental and calculated results. The results show that the γ-ray shielding capacity of the new functional aggregates has been improved substantially compared with basalt, almost equal to serpentine and high-titanium slag, and up to 80% to barite.