## 3 Results
### Characterization of the Structural and Morphological Properties of Tungsten-Reinforced Polyisoprene
#### 3.1.2 Structural Properties of Tungsten-Reinforced Polyisoprene Characterized by X-Ray Diffraction
The efficiency of Compton scattering depends on electron density and is determined by its atomic number (Z) and composition. NR exhibits the lowest attenuation, particularly at higher photon energies, primarily comprising low-Z elements (carbon and hydrogen) with lower electron densities and interaction probabilities. PbO\({}_{2}\) displays significantly higher incoherent scattering than NR, attributed to its high-Z lead atoms, which increase electron density and enhance Compton interactions. Figure 8C shows the MAC for photoelectric absorption as a function of photon energy. PbO\({}_{2}\) (black curve) has the maximum photoelectric absorption throughout the energy spectrum, corresponding with lead's high atomic number (Z = 82), which increases interaction likelihood. Due to its organic makeup, NR exhibits a much lower attenuation. Photoelectric absorption strongly depends on \(Z\) in the low-energy region (10\({}^{-4}\)-1 MeV). PbO\({}_{2}\) has the maximum attenuation, whereas WO\({}_{3}\)-reinforced NR outperforms pure NR. In the Intermediate Energy Region (1-100 MeV), photoelectric absorption decreases for all materials owing to Compton scattering competition. Photoelectric interactions are less important in the High-Energy Region (>100 MeV) as pair formation and Compton scattering take over. Figure 8D shows how MAC for pair creation vary with photon energy ranging from 10\({}^{-2}\) MeV to 10\({}^{5}\) MeV. PbO\({}_{2}\) has the most significant mass attenuation coefficient. A rapid spike at about 1 MeV, indicating the threshold for pair creation, continues to grow until it plateaus at high photon energies. WO\({}_{3}\)-reinforced NR exhibits superior attenuation compared to NR, although inferior to PbO\({}_{2}\). The curve exhibits a similar tendency to PbO\({}_{2}\), characterized by an increase in attenuation at the threshold energy and a subsequent gradual climb thereafter. Pair Production in the electron field (Figure 8E) indicates the MAC as a function of photon energy. The MAC for pair creation is insignificant below 1 MeV, indicating that the process occurs only at elevated photon energies. At 10 MeV, a notable increase in attenuation is seen, especially for PbO\({}_{2}\) and WO\({}_{3}\)-reinforced NR, indicating their enhanced shielding efficacy. Beyond 100 MeV, the attenuation coefficients for PbO\({}_{2}\) and WO\({}_{3}\)-reinforced NR begin to converge, showing that tungsten reinforcement enables WO\({}_{3}\)-reinforced NR to resemble PbO\({}_{2}\) shielding performance closely. The results show that PbO\({}_{2}\) remains the most effective; however, it can be seen that WO\({}_{3}\)-reinforced NR approaches its performance at high photon energies. Analysis of total attenuation with coherent scattering (Figure 8F) shows that PbO\({}_{2}\) is more effective at intermediate energies, although WO\({}_{3}\)-reinforced NR approaches PbO\({}_{2}\)'s performance in the high-energy zone. The findings of the XCOM computational analysis support the use of WO\({}_{3}\)-reinforced NR as a lead-free substitute for radiation shielding. Figure 8G illustrates the variation in the MAC of PbO\({}_{2}\) (black), NR (red), and WO\({}_{3}\)-reinforced NR (blue). In the High-Energy Region (10-10\({}^{6}\) MeV), all materials show a decrease in attenuation. PbO\({}_{2}\) has a slightly greater attenuation coefficient than WO\({}_{3}\)-reinforced NR, indicating a higher atomic number and density. A clear distinction emerges between WO\({}_{3}\)-reinforced NR and NR, at the intermediate-energy region (0.1-10 MeV), where it can be observed the inclusion of tungsten in the WO\({}_{3}\)-reinforced NR significantly enhances the attenuation. At the low-energy region (10\({}^{-4}\)-0.1 MeV), PbO\({}_{2}\) and WO\({}_{3}\)-reinforced NR display high attenuation values due to their strong photoelectric absorption. The observed peaks correspond to the characteristic absorption edges of tungsten and lead, further validating the computational model.