###### Abstract  
As the scope of radiation use in medical and industrial fields has expanded, interest in radiation shielding is increasing. Most existing radiation shields use Pb-based products, primarily in the form of a laminated sheet, which requires attention as fine cracks may occur depending on the usage and storage conditions. The weight of the sheets limits users' activities, and they pose a risk of heavy metal contamination. To address these problems, this study proposed a shielding fiber with improved flexibility and workability, and thus, produce a shielding garment. Masterabatches of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fiber were manufactured using the eco-friendly materials, BaSO4 and Bi2O3. Yarns were fabricated by the melt spinning process, and fabrics were woven. With 5 wt% of shielding material, the yarns' shield against radiation and was sufficiently strong for fabric weaving. The fibers' radiation shielding averaged 9-13%, with the Bi2O3 fiber displaying better shielding performance than the BaSO4. It is believed that the findings of this study on improving the yarn manufacturing process could be applied for protection against low-dose and scattered rays in medical applications and for aerospace radiation protection. In addition, the proposed shielding fibers' flexibility makes them suitable for future use in the production of various radiation shields. medical radiation; radiation exposure; general protective clothing; apron; hospital protection +
Footnote †: journal: Medical Radiation-Shielding Environment by Analyzing the Weaving Characteristics and Shielding Sciences
The intensity of radiation energy that is generated in medical applications is mostly within a certain range; radiation shielding is utilized by categorizing the direct and indirect radiation regions according to the energy intensity [11]. Most current radiation-shielding equipment provide protection that is equivalent to a Pb thickness of 0.25 to 0.5 mm [12]. Radiation shields that are used in medical institutions are typically used only briefly. Nevertheless, the lightness of the shield is an important consideration for increasing user activities [13,14]. Radiation shielding is usually applied for protection against ionizing radiation. For this purpose, the higher the atomic number of the material constituting the shield and the thicker the shield, the greater the shielding efficiency [15]. In medical institutions, there is an increasing interest in using non-Pb shielding sheets and shielding fibers for protection against radiation. In reality, however, radiation-shielding sheets and fibers have insufficient shielding performance to replace Pb [16]. Radiation shields are traditionally used in the form of films, sheets, or fibers manufactured using Pb powder or mixing it with a polymer compound [17]. In order to minimize the weight of the shields, various parameters, such as the conditions for mixing with the polymer and the density, mass, and number of molecules of the shielding material, must be considered. Technical conditions, such as those of the manufacturing technology, must also be considered [18]. The weight of radiation-shielding aprons used in medical institutions ranges from approximately 2.9 kg to 3.5 kg; this heaviness limits the activities of medical staff and patients [19]. The most suitable material for developing lightweight shielding clothing is radiation-shielding fiber. However, shielding fibers fail to exhibit efficient shielding performance because of limitations in the manufacturing process and pinholes in the fabric [20]. Therefore, when the shielding performance of the shielding fiber is interpreted as the intensity of the effective radiation energy, it has a shielding characteristic that can be used in the scattered ray generating region, which is an indirect ray region, rather than the direct ray with high energy intensity [21]. Thus, in future, the radiation energy intensity may be used as a very useful component when manufacturing a laminated composite sheet using shielding fibers.