Research Information System
Radiation Physics and Chemistry, vol.235, 2025 (SCI-Expanded)
This study aimed to investigate the changes in thermomechanical properties of ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) and PLA (Polylactic Acid) materials, both considered as candidates for bolus materials in radiotherapy applications. ABS and PLA were selected as alternatives to standard bolus materials and exposed to varying radiation doses. After radiation exposure, several tests were conducted to evaluate their structural and mechanical changes, including Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC), Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA), surface roughness, and adhesive wear tests. DSC results indicated a significant reduction in melting enthalpy for PLA with increasing radiation doses, while ABS exhibited minor increases due to cross-link formation. The DMA results showed that both materials experienced changes in storage modulus and loss modulus under radiation, with ABS showing improved viscoelastic properties at lower doses, but degradation at higher doses. Surface roughness analysis revealed an increase in roughness for ABS with radiation, whereas PLA exhibited a decrease. Adhesive wear tests demonstrated that PLA's wear resistance improved with radiation, while ABS showed increased wear rates, particularly at higher doses. Additionally, radiation exposure led to decreased thermomechanical stability in PLA due to chain scission, whereas ABS demonstrated better resistance to thermal changes at moderate doses. It can be concluded that PLA may be more suitable for applications requiring enhanced wear resistance under high radiation exposure, while ABS could be advantageous for applications needing more stable thermomechanical properties at moderate radiation doses.