Investigation of Graphene as a Shielding Material for Space Environments

This work investigates the radiation shielding efficiency of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)/Graphene, carbon fibre, and polyethylene materials. The composite HDPE Graphene was studied both as a substitute layer in the ISS wall/Columbus shielding configuration and as an additional layer serving as intravehicular spacesuits for astronauts. The average quality factors (Q) for12C,40Ar, and56Fe ion beams were evaluated using the Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) Mushroom microdosimeter behind various realistic ISS Columbus wall configurations at the Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC), Japan. Moreover, the individual dose equivalent, Hp(10), was calculated for astronaut personal monitoring. The SOI microdosimeter’s response to the monoenergetic ion beams behind these shielding configurations enabled comparison of the shielding efficiencies for the tested materials. The results indicate that the shielding efficiency of HDPE Graphene is similar to that of carbon fibre and Kevlar.