Electromagnetic radiation shielding of NBR rubber composites loaded with magnetite and manganese dioxide

Abdelhameed Sharaf; Ahmed S. El-Bayoumi; Mohamed I. Ahmed; Ashraf Nasr; Magdy A. Ali; Khaled F. El-Nemr

doi:10.1515/ract-2025-0018

Article

Electromagnetic radiation shielding of NBR rubber composites loaded with magnetite and manganese dioxide

Abdelhameed Sharaf , Ahmed S. El-Bayoumi , Mohamed I. Ahmed , Ashraf Nasr , Magdy A. Ali and Khaled F. El-Nemr

Published/Copyright: June 30, 2025

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From the journal Radiochimica Acta

Abstract

This study presents the preparation of acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) composites loaded with different concentrations of electromagnetic radiation shielding materials like magnetite and manganese dioxide. The composites were subjected to electron beam irradiation at 50 kGy and characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) tools. The hybrid fillers showed a strong interaction with the NBR rubber matrix, improving mechanical properties like tear strength. Electrically conducting of these filler materials that loaded NBR rubber matrix find a lot of attentions for electromagnetic shielding materials. All prepared samples were measured using vector network analyzer (VNA) with aid of an X-band wave guide to evaluate its performance as an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding material. The results showed that all samples improved shielding properties and can be used as low-cost, lightweight, and good-performance shielding materials.

Keywords: NBR; electron beam irradiation; electromagnetic interference (EMI); vector network analyzer (VNA)

Corresponding author: Abdelhameed Sharaf, Radiation Engineering Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology (NCRRT), Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA), Cairo, Egypt, E-mail: a_sharaf@aucegypt.edu

Research ethics: Not applicable.
Informed consent: Not applicable.
Author contributions: All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.
Use of Large Language Models, AI and Machine Learning Tools: None declared.
Conflict of interest: All other authors state no conflict of interest.
Research funding: None declared.
Data availability: The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, A. S., upon reasonable request.

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Received: 2025-02-17

Accepted: 2025-06-16

Published Online: 2025-06-30

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https://doi.org/10.1515/ract-2025-0018

Keywords for this article

NBR; electron beam irradiation; electromagnetic interference (EMI); vector network analyzer (VNA)