Double-Layered Tin-Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) Composites: Evaluation of Porosity and Structural Morphology of Polymeric Composites

Authors

• Nurul Syafiqah Roslan, Department of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Pulau Pinang, 13500 Permatang Pauh, Pulau Pinang, MalaysiaFollow
• Nur Maizatul Azra Mukhtar, Department of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Pulau Pinang, 13500 Permatang Pauh, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia; Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Pulau Pinang,13200 Kepala Batas, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia AND Department of Biomedical Imaging, Advanced Medical and Dental Institute, Universiti Sains Malaysia, SAINS@BERTAM, 13200 Kepala Batas, Pulau Pinang, MalaysiaFollow
• Ainorkhilah Mahmood, Department of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Pulau Pinang, 13500 Permatang Pauh, Pulau Pinang, MalaysiaFollow
• Nor Aimi Abdul Wahab, Department of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Pulau Pinang, 13500 Permatang Pauh, Pulau Pinang, MalaysiaFollow
• Rafidah Zainon, Department of Biomedical Imaging, Advanced Medical and Dental Institute, Universiti Sains Malaysia, SAINS@BERTAM, 13200 Kepala Batas, Pulau Pinang, MalaysiaFollow
• Hanisah Zainal Abidin, Department of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Pulau Pinang, 13500 Permatang Pauh, Pulau Pinang, MalaysiaFollow
• Aishah Zarzali Shah, Centre of Foundation Studies UiTM, Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Selangor, Kampus Dengkil, 43800 Dengkil, Selangor, MalaysiaFollow
• Nor Iwani Nor Izaham, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA Shah Alam, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, MalaysiaFollow

Abstract

The pursuit of advanced materials for radiation protection has highlighted the potential of polymer–metal composites. Porosity is a key factor influencing radiation attenuation, as fewer voids reduce pathways for radiation penetration. Recent studies emphasize the role of filler distribution in enhancing both mechanical properties and shielding performance. This work investigates the structural morphology and porosity of tin–PDMS composites prepared with pure tin (PS) and tin alloy (AS) fillers at 10–60 wt.% loadings, along with a tin–alloy mixture series (TM). Morphological features, particle distribution, oxygen content, and porosity were comprehensively analyzed. Results show that porosity strongly correlates with filler distribution and composition. The AS5 composite (50 wt.% tin alloy) exhibited the most balanced properties, achieving a low porosity of 0.34% with satisfactory density and microstructural stability. Within the TM series, TM6 (60 wt.% tin mixture) demonstrated promising features for high-density shielding applications due to its high tin content with a density of 5.32 g/cm3 and porosity less than 2.0% of the nominal acceptance threshold for the composite. These findings establish the foundational microstructural characteristics of tin–PDMS composites as a step toward developing lead-free radiation shielding materials.

Keywords

Double-layer composite, ImageJ, Metal-polymer, Porosity, Radiation shielding

Article Type

Special Issue Article

First Page

138

Last Page

150

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite this Article

Roslan, Nurul Syafiqah; Mukhtar, Nur Maizatul Azra; Mahmood, Ainorkhilah; Wahab, Nor Aimi Abdul; Zainon, Rafidah; Abidin, Hanisah Zainal; Shah, Aishah Zarzali; and Izaham, Nor Iwani Nor (2026) "Double-Layered Tin-Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) Composites: Evaluation of Porosity and Structural Morphology of Polymeric Composites," Baghdad Science Journal: Vol. 23: Iss. 1, Article 11.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21123/2411-7986.5141