Lightweight and Flexible Bi@Bi-La Natural Leather Composites with Superb X-ray Radiation Shielding Performance and Low Secondary Radiation

A high-shielding, low secondary radiation, lightweight, flexible, and wearable X-ray protection material was prepared by coimpregnating La2O3 and Bi2O3 nanoparticles in natural leather (NL) with an additional Bi2O3 coating at the bottom surface of the leather. The prepared Bi28.2@Bi3.48La3.48–NL (28.2 and 3.48 mmol·cm–3 are the loading contents of elements) showed excellent X-ray shielding ability (65–100%) in a wide energy range of 20–120 keV with reduced scattered secondary radiation (30%). The bottom surface coating played a critical role in enhancing the X-ray attenuation and reducing the scattered secondary radiation by reflecting and deflecting incident X-ray photons. Excellent mechanical property with superb bending resistance of the NL matrix was properly maintained, and its tensile strength and tearing load were 15.39 MPa and 25.81 N·mm–1, respectively. This lightweight and wearable high-performance protection material can facilitate safety and comfortability during intensive activities of practitioners in the health care industry.