Testing for characterization of the materials from radiological point of view

The nuclear techniques and materials are now used in a large number of applications, both in medicine and industry. Due to this fact, new materials are needed in order to assure the radiological protection of the personnel involved in these activities. But, finally, all these materials have to be tested for some specific parameters, in order to prove that they are adequate for the purposed for which they were created. One of the important parameters of the materials used for the radiological protection is the attenuation coefficient. The attenuation coefficient of the ionizing radiation composed by particles without electrical charge (X,γ-ray and neutron) is the most important parameter for the materials used for the shielding of these ionizing radiation. This paper deals with the experimental methods developed for the determination of the attenuation of fast and thermal neutrons. These experimental methods, involved the use of Am-Be source and U-120 Cyclotron of IFIN-HH. For the tests which were done at the U-120 Cyclotron, a number of experiments had to be performed, in order to establish the irradiation geometry and the dose equivalent rates in front of and behind the material samples. The experimental results obtained for samples of several materials, confirmed the methods as adequate for the aim of the test.