WO2020247055A2

WO2020247055A2 - Radiation protection materials and methods

Info

Publication number: WO2020247055A2
Application number: PCT/US2020/026453
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sha X. Chang
Original assignee: The University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill
Priority date: 2019-04-02
Filing date: 2020-04-02
Publication date: 2020-12-10
Also published as: WO2020247055A3

Abstract

Materials and methods for radiation protection. In some embodiments, the material(s) for radiation protection is a wearable material including at least some non-shielding portions or areas configured to allow radiation to pass through the material and shielding portions or areas configured to significantly attenuate radiation. In some embodiments, the shielding portions include beads, rods, blocks, balls, bars, strips, discs, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the method includes providing a wearable material for shielding or protecting a subject from radiation and at least partially shielding or protecting the user from radiation exposure.

Description

TITLE

RADIATION PROTECTION MATERIALS AND METHODS

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 62/828,291 , filed April 2, 2019, the entire content of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to radiation protection equipment. More particularly, the subject matter disclosed herein relates to personal protective equipment for protection against radiation exposure.

BACKGROUND

Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS), or radiation sickness, can be caused by damage to human or animal tissue by a large dose of radiation, often received over a short period of time. This illness is also known as acute radiation sickness or poisoning. Depending on the amount and intensity of the radiation absorbed by the body, radiation sickness can be debilitating, if not fatal. The absorbed dose of radiation is typically measured in grays (Gy) or Rads. A radiation dose of about 3 Gy can be fatal to a human body. Typically, high energy radiation types, such as, for example, high energy X-rays, gamma rays, and neutrons can create high intensity radiation exposure. This exposure does not immediately lead to death, but death can occur days or even weeks later. The radiation exposure can cause cellular degradation due to damage to DNA and other major molecular structures within the cells in various tissues. The degradation and destruction of cells cause living tissues and organs to die because they are unable to regenerate and heal properly. This eventually leads to death if the cell and tissue damage is serious enough.

High energy radiation sources, such as those that generate high energy X-rays, gamma rays, and neutrons can be found, for example, in war zones, chemical emergency situations, nuclear power plant emergency situations, in space, and other environments. In order to help prevent ARS and other issues related to high intensity radiation dose exposure, materials and methods for protecting against and minimizing radiation in humans and animals are desired. Some industries refer to these types of materials as personal protection equipment (PPE). The current position of the United States Department of Health and Human Services Radiation Emergency Medical Management is that modern“PPE cannot protect against exposure from high energy, highly penetrating forms of ionizing radiation associated with most radiation emergencies.” This is because the required radiation shielding would be too heavy and rigid for a human or animal to wear and function. A goal of the presently disclosed subject matter is to improve, at least in part, the high energy and high radiation exposure radiation protection in the various fields dealing with such exposure.

In radiation oncology and other medical fields, spatially fractionated radiotherapy (SFRT) is used in the medical treatment of cancerous tumors and other ailments. Different than conventional radiation therapy where seamless radiation patterns are used, SFRT’s radiation patterns are spatially fractionated, where many small“islands” receiving high radiation doses are separated by a“sea” of low radiation dose. The common methods to generate SFRT radiation include commercially available GRID blocks or multi-level collimators on a linear accelerator, located downstream of the radiation source, to deliver a non-confluent, filter-like pattern of radiation to the subject in a nonuniform dose distribution. Similarly, in preclinical studies, micro-beam radiation therapy (MRT) uses spatially fractionated radiation on a sub millimeter scale. Compared to the conventional seamless radiation both SFRT and MRT radiation spare normal tissue from irreparable damage from much higher (in the order of 10 times) radiation exposures.

In connection with the present subject matter, several of the findings in radiation therapy were applied to radiation protection and have been validated using animal research. It was found that all animals received seamless radiation of 9 Gy died within 9 days while all animals receiving SFRT radiation at the same average dose (9 Gy) were alive at the end of the study (30 days). At the end of the study, a tissue histology study of harvested bone marrow, colon, liver and spleen appeared healthy with no sign of radiation damage. The study supported the hypothesis that a radiation shielding methodology based on radiation spatial fractionation may reduce the total weight of radiation protection and increase the wearability of the PPE and thus significantly advance radiation protection technology.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the subject matter herein, materials and methods for protecting or shielding a subject from radiation exposure are provided. In one aspect, wearable fabric for shielding or protecting a subject from radiation, the wearable material comprising: at least some non-shielding portions or areas configured to allow radiation to pass through the fabric and shielding portions or areas configured to significantly attenuate radiation; and the fabric being flexible and configured for being worn by or at least partially cover a subject such that at least some portions of at least some living tissue of the subject is at least partially shielded from radiation and the living tissue of the subject is capable of facilitating effective tissue repair and regeneration from the radiation exposure. In some embodiments, the shielding portions or areas of the material comprise a plurality of structures. In some further embodiments, the shielding portions or areas of the material comprise a plurality of structures. In some embodiments, the plurality of structures are spaced-apart to form gaps or spaces between the structures. In some embodiments, the plurality of structures comprise beads, rods, blocks, balls, discs, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the plurality of structures are part of a fabric layer or layers. In some embodiments, the plurality of structures are configured to absorb, block, deflect and/or reflect radiation.

Additionally, in some further embodiments, the shielding portions or areas of the fabric comprise a plurality of structures. In some embodiments, the material comprises a layer or layers of material. In some embodiments, the plurality of structures are spaced-apart to form gaps or spaces between the structures. In some further embodiments, the plurality of structures comprise beads, rods, blocks, balls, bars, strips, discs, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the plurality of structures are configured to spatially fractionate radiation. In some embodiments, wherein the shielding portions or areas of the fabric are configured to significantly attenuate radiation. In some further embodiments, the shielding portions or areas of the fabric are configured to shield or protect against high energy radiation, including high energy X-rays and gamma radiation.

In another aspect, a fabric for shielding or protecting a subject from radiation is provided, the fabric comprising: a plurality of structures that form gaps or spaces between at least some of the plurality of structures; the plurality of structures being configured to spatially fractionate radiation; wherein the gaps or spaces between at least some of the plurality of structures are configured to allow radiation to pass through the gaps or spaces; and the fabric being flexible and configured for being worn by or at least partially cover a subject such that at least some portions of at least some living tissue of the subject are at least partially shielded from radiation and the living tissue of the subject is capable of facilitating effective tissue repair and regeneration from the radiation exposure.

In another aspect, a method for shielding a subject from exposure to radiation is provided, the method comprising: providing a wearable fabric for shielding or protecting the subject from radiation, the wearable fabric comprising: a fabric comprising at least some non-shielding portions or areas configured to allow radiation to pass through the fabric and shielding portions or areas configured to at least partially absorb, reduce, block, deflect, and/or reflect radiation; and the fabric being flexible and configured for being worn by or at least partially cover a subject such that exposure of the subject to radiation shields or protects living tissue of the subject to allow the tissue to repair and recover from the radiation exposure; and at least partially shielding or protecting the subject from radiation exposure.

In yet another aspect, a method of making a fabric configured to allow a subject to survive a radiation exposure is provided, the method comprising: arranging a plurality of structures in a fabric, wherein the plurality of structures are spaced-apart and define gaps or spaces between the plurality of structures; wherein the plurality of structures of the fabric are shielding portions or areas configured to significantly attenuate radiation; and wherein the fabric is flexible and comprises at least some non-shielding portions or areas that are not configured to significantly attenuate radiation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Features and advantages of the present subject matter will be more readily understood from the following detailed description which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings that are given merely by way of explanatory and non-limiting example, and in which:

FIG. 1 A, FIG. 1 B, and FIG. 1 C each illustrate an internal view of a wearable material according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2A, FIG. 2B, FIG. 2C, FIG. 2D, FIG. 2E, and FIG. 2F illustrate cross-sectional or internal perspective views of wearable material according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3A, FIG. 3B, and FIG. 3C illustrate cross-sectional views of wearable material according to some embodiments of the present disclosure being bombarded with radiation from a radiation source;

FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B illustrate a human subject wearing a vest made of the wearable material according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 illustrates a human subject wearing a vest made of the wearable material according to some embodiments of the present disclosure being bombarded with radiation from a radiation source;

FIG. 6A, FIG. 6B, and FIG. 6C illustrate a human subject wearing a tight-fitting suit made of the wearable material according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7A, FIG. 7B, and FIG. 7C illustrate a human subject wearing a chemical protective suit made of the wearable material according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8A illustrates a testing environment, including a radiation chamber and a rodent subject equipped with a prototype of a material according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG. 8B illustrates a chart indicating the level of radiation exposure of a rat across the shielding material; and

FIG. 8C illustrates charts indicating the survival rate of two groups of test rats that were exposed to high energy radiation, including one group with the protective material, and a second group without the protective material.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In accordance with the subject matter herein, embodiments can comprise features as described herein or in the figures. Specific embodiments can, for example and without limitation, comprise the following example embodiments. Other embodiments are also envisioned and can be configured in accordance with the disclosure herein.

A wearable material for shielding or protecting a subject from radiation can comprise: at least some non-shielding portions or areas configured to allow radiation to pass through the material and shielding portions or areas configured to at least partially absorb, reduce, block, deflect and or reflect radiation; and the material being flexible and configured for being worn by or at least partially cover a subject such that exposure of the subject to radiation shields or protects living tissue of the subject to allow the tissue to repair and recover from the radiation exposure.

The shielding portions or areas of the material can comprise a plurality of structures. The plurality of structures can be spaced-apart to form gaps or spaces between the structures. The plurality of structures can comprise beads, rods, blocks or any combination thereof. The plurality of structures can be part of a fabric layer or layers.

The shielding portions or areas of the material can be configured to significantly attenuate radiation. The material can comprise a layer or layers of material. The layer or layers can comprise a fabric material, a non-woven material, and or a laminate material. The material can comprise a fabric that is woven, knitted or felted.

The shielding portions or areas of the material can be configured to shield or protect against high energy radiation including high energy x-rays and gamma radiation. The material is configured to allow the subject to move while wearing the material. The shielding portions or areas of the material can cover all of a subject or only cover a predetermined area(s) or portion(s) of the subject. The predetermined area(s) or portion(s) of the subject can be organs or other vital areas or portions of the subject.

A material for shielding or protecting a subject from radiation can comprise: a plurality of structures that form gaps or spaces between at least some of the plurality of structures; the plurality of structures being configured to significantly attenuate radiation; wherein the gaps or spaces between at least some of the plurality of structures are configured to allow radiation to pass through the gaps or spaces; and the material being flexible and configured to at least partially cover a subject such that exposure of the subject to radiation shields or protects living tissue of the subject to allow the tissue to repair and recover from the radiation exposure.

A method for shielding a user from exposure to radiation can comprise: providing a wearable material for shielding or protecting a subject from radiation, the wearable material comprising: a material comprising at least some non-shielding portions or areas configured to allow radiation to pass through the material and shielding portions or areas configured to significantly attenuate radiation; and the material being flexible and configured for being worn by or at least partially cover a subject such that exposure of the subject to radiation shields or protects living tissue of the subject to allow the tissue to repair and recover from the radiation exposure; and shielding or protecting the user from radiation exposure. The method can comprise using the any version of the material.

A method of making a material configured to allow a subject to survive a radiation exposure can comprise: arranging a plurality of structures in a material, wherein the plurality of structures are spaced-apart and define gaps or spaces between the plurality of structures; wherein the plurality of structures of the material are shielding portions or areas configured to at least partially absorb, reduce, block, deflect and or reflect radiation; and wherein the material is flexible and comprises at least some non-shielding portions or areas that are not configured to at least partially absorb, reduce, block, deflect and or reflect radiation.

The subject matter herein discloses several embodiments illustrating designs to protect against and minimize radiation exposure to help prevent ARS and/or death. Some embodiments of the present disclosure present materials and methods that operate to break up uniform high energy radiation into smaller segments, which can allow otherwise healthy tissue to repair completely, even under high radiation doses. Some embodiments of the present disclosure can be referred to as personal protective equipment (PPE), which is used to protect first responders, members of the military, and other individuals at the scene of chemical and nuclear disasters/emergencies and radiological terrorist attacks where high dose and high-energy gamma ray radiation is emitted.

Conventional thinking in radiation protection shields focuses on seamless radiation attenuation to the entire shielded area. For high energy and high dose radiation exposure the required radiation shield for such an approach is simply too heavy and rigid for a human to wear as PPE. The present subject matter has an approach that focuses on radiation fractionation, as described herein. By focusing on protecting many small regions of the subject the surviving tissues can facilitate effective repair and regeneration of the adjacent damaged cells exposed to the unshielded radiation. In some embodiments, for example and without limitation, the fabric for minimizing radiation damage can be a wearable material, being wearable for humans and/or animals. For example and without limitation, in some embodiments, the material can be configured to be worn by soldiers, doctors, nuclear power plant operators, emergency responders, or any other suitable persons. In some embodiments, the material can be a vest, a full body suit, a partial body suit, a suit that covers most or all of the body, a blanket, a towel, a cloak, a jacket, pants, a shirt, body armor, a hat, medical blanket, rain jacket, radiation suit, and/or any other suitable material for wearing or placing around, against, over, or on a human or animal. In some embodiments, the material can have any suitable shape, size, flexibility, thickness, or weight. In some embodiments the material can be a non-wearable material, such as, for example and without limitation, a tent, shield, or other structure to shield people or animals from exposure to radiation. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the material can be configured to be worn in combat, nuclear testing facilities, a clinic, a hospital, in outer space, or in any other suitable environment where a human or animal may be exposed to high energy radiation.

A material of the present disclosure, in some embodiments, can comprise a wearable material that partially or completely covers an animal or human body or certain portions thereof. In some embodiments, the wearable material can comprise devices, components, compounds, metals, alloys, or other suitable objects that are configured to at least partially absorb, reduce, block, deflect, and/or reflect radiation, including for example and without limitation, high intensity, or high energy radiation. For example, and without limitation, the material can comprise any or several of the fabrics and materials described above combined with heavy metals, devices, components, compounds, alloys or other suitable materials embedded within the material and configured to at least partially prevent some of the radiation from being absorbed by the animal or human wearing or otherwise being protected by the material. In this context, heavy metals refers to metals with relatively high densities, atomic weights, or atomic numbers. Specifically, denser materials absorb more radiation and radioactive emissions than lighter, less dense materials. Thus, heavy metals, with their relatively high densities, are useful for radiation shielding like the materials described herein. In some embodiments, the heavy metals that can be used in the present disclosure includes tungsten, lead, palladium, gold, steel, or other suitable material for blocking, reflecting, deflecting, or absorbing radiation.

In some embodiments, the material(s) of the present disclosure comprises metal rods embedded within parts of the material or fabric. For example, in some embodiments, the material can be a suit, vest, jacket or other fabric that comprises a plurality of structures, such as metal bars or rods, that are embedded within some or all of the suit, vest, or jacket, wherein the metal rods are oriented and spaced apart with respect to one another to a sufficient degree, such that radiation can be at least partially absorbed, reduced, blocked, deflected and or reflected by the structures. In some other embodiments, the material can comprise metal beads or balls embedded within parts of the material or fabric. In some embodiments, the material, including the metal bars, rods, disks, and/or beads embedded in it, can be flexible enough such that someone or some animal wearing the material can easily move about in an agile manner. The plurality of structures can be spaced apart from each other as noted above and can define gaps therebetween as described further herein that are not configured to absorb, reduce, block, deflect and or reflect radiation.

In some embodiments, the heavy metal rods, bars, beads, disks, and/or balls can comprise tungsten, lead, palladium, gold, steel, or other suitable material for blocking, reflecting, deflecting, or absorbing the radiation. Although it is optimal to block all radiation from penetrating through the material to the skin or tissue of the animal or human protected by the material, such a material would be too heavy to wear or maneuver around in, such as for walking. Thus, in some embodiments, the material is configured to absorb, reduce, block, deflect, reflect, prevent, restrict and/or limit at least a partial amount of radiation from penetrating to the skin or underlying tissue. A goal of the present disclosure is to balance maximizing the protection to the wearer or subject of the material while also maintaining the movability and agility of the wearer or subject. Hereinafter, a wearer, subject, protectee, or other human or animal wearing or being shielded or protected by any embodiment of the present disclosure will be referred to as a subject. Furthermore, hereinafter, the word“material” can mean and include the underlying wearable item (i.e., suit, vest, coat, etc.) with or without protective heavy metals, or a wearable material with bars, rods, strips, beads, balls, disks or other suitable metal embedded within the material.

FIG. 1 A illustrates an amorphous shaped protective material 100 (shown here as rectangular, but it can be any shape) that comprises a plurality of metal rods, strips, or bars 104 embedded within a fabric 102 or some other material. In some embodiments, as described above, the protective material 100 can be a vest, a full body suit, a tight-fitting body suit, a partial body suit, a suit that covers most or all of the body, a blanket, towel, apron, cloak, jacket, pants, shirt, body armor, hat, medical blanket, rain jacket, radiation suit, and/or any other suitable material for wearing or placing around, against, in contact with or on a human or animal. In some embodiments, the protective material 100 can comprise a fabric or fabric material, non-woven material, and/or laminate material. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the protective material 100 can comprise a fabric that is woven, knitted, or felted. In some embodiments, for example and without limitation, the protective material 100 can be made of rubber, neoprene, or a blend of neoprene material. The protective material 100 could be comprised of a separate fabric that is stitched or otherwise embedded into one of the devices above. In some embodiments, the protective material 100 can be a wearable material that comprises a layer or layers comprising a fabric material 102, a non-woven material, and/or a laminate material. In some embodiments, the protective material 100 comprises a fabric 102 that is woven, knitted or felted. In some embodiments, the protective material 100 is lightweight enough to allow the subject to move while wearing the protective material 100. In some embodiments, a module including just the plurality of bars, rods, or strips 104 can be provided and worn by the subject, without an underlying fabric 102. In some other embodiments, the protective material 100 could be non-wearable, such as, for example and without limitation a tent, shield or other device that can be used by humans or animals to otherwise seek cover. In some embodiments, any of the devices described above can have sections of bars or rods 104, as shown in FIG. 1 A interwoven into the fabric 102 of the device.

For example, and without limitation, if the device is a vest, the vest could have several of the protective materials 100 shown in FIG. 1 A arranged around the vest either on the outside of the vest, facing away from the wearer, on the inner part of the vest, facing the wearer, or imbedded within the vest, such as for example, arranged inside the fabric of the vest. If the device is some other device described above, the placement of the materials can be the same as for the vest described above. In some embodiments, for example, the vest could be modular. By modular, it is meant that, for example, the vest could be configured such that different pieces of material like that shown in FIG. 1 can be attached or inserted into the underlying suit, vest, etc. and then removed and replaced with another material. In some embodiments, the module comprising the bars, rods, or strips 104 could be attached to the material via a hook and loop fastener. In some embodiments, the vest, suit, etc. could have for example, slots, or pockets arranged about that the modules comprising bars, rods, or strips 104 can be inserted into and/or removed. In some embodiments, the different protective material 100 could be different shapes, sizes, or arrangements such that they fit inside the pockets or slots of the vest or other device the subject is wearing.

In some embodiments, the heavy metal strips, bars, or rods 104 can be bendable and/or flexible. In some embodiments, the heavy metal strips, bars, or rods 104 can be stiff and inflexible. In some embodiments, the heavy metal strips, bars, or rods 104 can be small modules comprising stiff or inflexible metals, but the modules are small enough such that they can be arranged such that the suit, vest, etc. is still flexible when the subject is wearing it. In some embodiments, the bars, rods, or strips 104 can be vertically oriented with respect to the surface the subject wearing them is standing on, like that shown in FIG. 1 A. In some embodiments, and as further described herein below, any of the modules or groupings of heavy metal bars, rods, strips, balls, beads, pellets, or disks 104 can be considered or referred to as protective material or protective modules.

FIG. 1 B illustrates two layers of protective material 100 with bars, rods, or strips 104. In some embodiments, the protective material 100 can comprise a single layer of bars, rods, or strips 104. In some other embodiments, the protective material 100 can comprise a plurality of layers of bars, rods or strips 104 layered in the same orientation or in different orientations. As described above, the protective materials 100 can also comprise heavy metal balls, beads, disks, or other suitable material. Thus, in some embodiments, the protective material 100 can comprise none, one, or a plurality of layers of bars, rods, or strips 104, and/or none, one, or a plurality of layers of heavy metal balls, beads, disks or other suitable material. In some embodiments, the protective material 100 can comprise one or more layers of bars, rods, or strips 104A that are vertically oriented with respect to the surface that the subject wearing the protective material 100 is standing on and one or more layers of bars, rods, or strips 104B that are horizontally oriented with respect to the subject wearing the material. FIG. 1 B shows one layer being added to another and FIG. 1 C illustrates the resulting grid of bars, rods, or strips 104AB of the combination of the vertical and horizontal rods, bars, or strips 104AB. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that as more layers of material or bars, rods, or strips 104 are added, the heavier the wearable protective material 100 will be, but also the more protection the subject will have from radiation exposure. Again, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that weight and flexibility will, in some embodiments, be balanced with protection from radiation exposure. In some embodiments, the heavy metal rods, bars, or strips 104 can comprise, for example and without limitation, tungsten, lead, gold, palladium, steel, or other suitable material or an alloy of any of the above for blocking, reflecting, deflecting, or absorbing radiation.

FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E, and 2F illustrate several cross-sectional views of example protective materials 100 with different types of rods, bars, strips, balls, beads, or disks 104 embedded within the material. FIG. 2A illustrates a cross-section of a protective material 100 comprising rectangular rods, bars, or strips 104 embedded within the fabric 102 of the protective material 100. The rectangular rods, bars, or strips 104 in FIG. 2A are taller than the rectangular rods, strips, or bars 104 in FIG. 2B. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the taller the rectangular bars, rods, or strips 104, and, depending on the angle of approach of the radiation with respect to the bars, rods, or strips, 104 the more absorption, reflection, etc. of radiation. For example, and without limitation, if the angle of the incoming radiation is parallel to the cross-section of the bars, rods, or strips 104, both tall and short rods, bards, or strips 104 will have about the same amount of radiation getting through the gaps 106 (i.e., non-shielding portions). However, if the radiation is incoming at an angle, and not parallel to the bars, rods, or strips 104, the taller bars, rods, or strips 104 in FIG. 2A will absorb, reflect, deflect, etc. more radiation. In this configuration, and as better illustrated in FIG. 3B, radiation directed at the protective material 100 will freely flow through the gaps 106 between the bars, rods, or strips 104, but will be impeded, at least partially, when attempting to penetrate through the heavy metal of the bars, rods, or strips 104. FIG. 2C illustrates another cross-sectional view of a protective material 100 with triangular shaped bars, rods, or strips 104 embedded within the protective material 100. In some embodiments, the heavy metal rods, bars, or strips 104 can comprise, for example and without limitation, tungsten, lead, gold, palladium, steel, or other suitable material or an alloy of any of the above for blocking, reflecting, deflecting, or absorbing radiation.

FIG. 2D illustrates a cross-sectional view of a protective material 100 with cylindrical rods or bars 104 embedded within the protective material 100. This figure also illustrates a cross-sectional view of the material when balls, beads, or disks 104 are embedded within the protective material 100. In both the case of triangular rods 104 of FIG. 2C or balls, beads or disks 104 of FIG. 2D, there would still be a gap 106 between them where radiation could freely flow through the material, but the radiation attempting to penetrate the heavy metal substances will be impeded, at least partially. As described earlier, the protective materials 100 mentioned above can be configured such that the gaps 106 between the bars, rods, strips, disks, beads, balls, etc. are minimized, but not necessarily zero. Some high energy radiation dose can be tolerated, the key is to split up, or break apart, the high energy radiation and prevent at least a portion of the underlying tissue from being damaged by the radiation. By spacing apart the bars, rods, strips, disks, beads, balls, etc. the weight of the protective material 100 is minimized and the flexibility of the material is maximized, making it a more useful shield for a subject wearing the material compared to a large lead wall or shield that is too heavy or bulky to carry around on the battle field or during a nuclear plant disaster. In some embodiments, the heavy metal rods, bars, strips, disks, balls, or beads can comprise, for example and without limitation, tungsten, lead, gold, palladium, steel, or other suitable material or an alloy of any of the above for blocking, reflecting, deflecting, or absorbing radiation.

FIG. 2E illustrates a perspective internal view of a protective material 100 with cylindrical bars, rods, or strips 104. As shown in the figure, each of the bars, rods, or strips 104 has gaps 106 between them. As described above, the gaps 106, or spacing, between the bars, rods, or strips 104 help determine both the amount of radiation that penetrates to the subject and how much the material weighs for the subject. FIG. 2F illustrates a front internal view of a portion of a protective material 100 comprising disks, beads, or balls 104 embedded within the fabric 102 or other structure of the protective material 100. In some embodiments, the disks, balls, or beads 104 can be stacked in this way to minimize spacing between each disk, ball, or bead 104. Like the gaps 106 between the rods, bars, or strips, the gaps between the disks, balls, or beads 106 will allow radiation to freely penetrate through, but the disks, balls, or beads 106, in some embodiments, are comprised of heavy metals, and will impede the radiation, at least partially. In some embodiments, the heavy metal rods, bars, strips, disks, balls, or beads 104 can comprise, for example and without limitation, tungsten, lead, gold, palladium, steel, or other suitable material or an alloy of any of the above for blocking, reflecting, deflecting, or absorbing radiation.

FIG. 3A illustrates an example radiation environment 200 with a protective material 100 comprising bars, rods, or strips 104 and a radiation source 202 emitting high energy radiation 204. In some embodiments, the bars, rods, or strips 104 will have a height 110 or diameter that is less than or equal to the thickness of the fabric 108 or other material in which the bars, rods, or strips 104 are embedded. In some embodiments, the bars, rods, or strips 104 have a height 110 of between, and including, about 4 and 10 mm. In some embodiments, the bars, rods, or strips 104 have a height 110 of between, and including, about 5 and 6 mm. In some embodiments, the bars, rods, or strips 104 will not have a perfectly circular cross section. In such cases, the width 112 of the bars, rods, or strips 104 can be less than or greater than the height 110 of the bars, rods, or strips 104. For example and without limitation, in some embodiments, the width 112 of the bars, rods, or strips 104 can be between, and including, about 1 to 10 mm. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the thickness 108 of the material will be a limiting factor in determining the height 110 or diameter of the rods, bars, or strips 104. In some embodiments, the height 110 or diameter of the rods, bars, or strips 104 will determine the amount of radiation that is impeded as it goes through the heavy metal (i.e., the larger the height or diameter of the bars, rods, or strips, the more radiation that is absorbed, blocked, etc.). Thus, in some embodiments, a thicker protective material 100 will be used so that a larger diameter bar, strip, or rod 104 can be used to block or absorb more radiation. In some embodiments, the gap 106 between the bars, strips, or rods 104 can be determined by the desired weight and/or flexibility of the protective material 100. For example, the heavier the weight tolerance, the smaller the gap 106 can be. Additionally, when the protective material 100 is a part of a module, as described herein, the gap 106 can be closer together so as to provide extra protection, without being too prohibitively heavy because the overall module will be smaller than if the protective material 100 covered the entire torso of a human subject. In some embodiments, the length of the gap 106 is between, and including, 1 to 10 mm. For example and without limitation, the length of the gap 106 is 2 mm.

In FIG. 3A, free, unimpeded high energy radiation 204 is represented by thick arrows and impeded or obstructed radiation 204’ is represented by the thin arrows as the radiation passes through the bars, rods, or strips 104. As illustrated, the large arrows flow through the spacings or gaps 106 between the rods, bars, or strips 104. This indicates that radiation 204 that flows directly through the gaps 106 does so unimpeded. However, if the radiation 204 contacts the protective material 100 at any sort of angle and/or has to go through the bars, strips, or rods 104, the radiation 204 is attenuated and thus, protected the tissues underneath of the protective material 100. For example and without limitation, when the radiation 204 attempts to penetrate the rods, bars, or strips 104, it is attenuated by the heavy metal properties, as indicated by the smaller arrows 204’ on the other side of the material than the radiation source 202. As described earlier hereinabove, the size of the gaps 106 between the bars, strips, or rods 104 also determines the amount of radiation 204 that penetrates to the subject. If the gaps 106 or spacings are larger, more radiation 204 freely penetrates, but the material or fabric is probably lighter and more flexible in this scenario, as well. If the gaps 106 or spacings are smaller, then less radiation 204 penetrates and the subject is better protected from the radiation 204. However, in this scenario, the protective material 100 is heavier and less flexible. FIG. 3B is substantially the same as FIG. 3A, except that it illustrates that, in some embodiments, the bars, strips, or rods 104 can be cross- sectionally rectangular in shape. In some embodiments, the larger the height 110 and/or width 112 of the bars, strips, or rods 104 the less radiation 204 penetrates the protective material 100. In the event that the bars, strips, or rods 104 are have a rectangular cross-section, they can have a similar range in height and width as the bars, strips, or rods 104 in FIG. 3A. In some other embodiments, the larger the gap 106 between the bars, strips, or rods, 104 the more radiation 204 is allowed to freely penetrate. In some embodiments, the smaller the gap 106 between the bars, strips, or rods 104, the less radiation 204 is allowed to freely penetrate. In the case of FIGS. 3A and 3B, the radiation 204 that is allowed to freely pass through the gaps 106, in some embodiments, penetrates the wearable protective material 100 and hits the skin and tissue of the subject wearing the protective material 100. This can damage the tissue and cells of the subject, but as described above only partially. This is so because the radiation 204’ is at least partially blocked by the bars, rods, or strips 104, which allows some of the tissue and cells of the subject to not be damaged or destroyed. Thus, in some cases, enough tissue and cells are left undamaged, after the exposure, and are able to repair, regenerate, heal and regrow the damaged portions.

FIG. 3C illustrates an example protective material 100 comprising rectangular bars, strips, or rods 104 that are comprised of, in some embodiments, for example and without limitation, tungsten, lead, gold, palladium, steel, or other suitable material or alloy of any of the above for blocking, reflecting, deflecting, or absorbing radiation. As illustrated in FIG. 3C, the rods, bars, or strips 104 are comprised of a heavy metal, alloy, or other substance that have properties that completely reflect radiation away. In this embodiment, only radiation 204 that penetrates through the gaps 106 reaches the subject. The radiation 204” that attempts to penetrate through the bars, rods, or strips 104 is reflected away and does not penetrate to the subject.

In some embodiments, the protective material 100 or shielding material or areas of the material only cover a predetermined area(s) or portion(s) of the subject. For example and without limitation, the predetermined area(s) or portion(s) of the subject can comprise areas where major internal organs or other vital tissues or areas are located inside the body. FIG. 4A illustrates a human subject H wearing protective material 100 for shielding or protecting the human subject H from radiation, for example, high energy radiation. In some embodiments, the protective material 100 can comprise any of the clothing, suits, or devices described above along with any of the shielding materials described above, including rods, bars, strips, or other material. For example and without limitation, the human subject H in FIG. 4A is wearing a vest comprising a plurality of vertically oriented bars, strips, or rods embedded within the fabric or other material of the vest. In some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 4A, the wearable protective material 100, including the shielding rods, bars, or strips, can cover only a portion of the body, such as the torso, abdomen, chest, etc. in order to cover or protect only the major internal organs. However, as will be described further hereinbelow, the protective wearable material 100 can be configured to cover the entire body, including that covered in FIG. 4A and extremities of the subject, or any other portion of the body. As illustrated in FIG. 4A, in some embodiments, the vest can be configured such that the protective bars, strips, or rods can be modular, meaning one or a plurality of modules of bars, rods, or strips can be embedded into the vest in different parts of the vest. For example and without limitation, the vest can comprise pockets, slots, or spaces for different sized and/or different shaped modules comprising protective heavy metal bars, rods, or strips. In this way, the vest or other suitable garment can be configured to protect different portions of the body, based on the pockets, slots, or other portions of the vest where a protective module is inserted.

In some embodiments, by making the vest or other garment modular, it is more likely that the vest will be more agile and flexible such that the subject wearing the vest or other garment can move around on the battle field or other environment more easily while still receiving the protection of the heavy metal rods, bars, or strips. Although FIG. 4A illustrates the bars, strips, or rods in a vertical orientation, in some embodiments, the bars, strips, or rods can be configured in a horizontal orientation with respect to the subject, or a diagonal orientation with respect to the subject. FIG. 4B illustrates another embodiment of the present disclosure. In FIG. 4B, the human subject H has a vest on, the vest comprising protective wearable material 100 comprising a plurality of disks, balls, or beads covering its torso and chest. Besides the fact that the protective material comprises disks, balls, or beads, the wearable material in FIG. 4B is identical to the description above regarding the vest or other material in FIG. 4A.

FIG. 5 illustrates a human subject H wearing a protective material 100, such as a vest, suit, body armor, or other suitable material comprising vertically oriented protective heavy metal bars, rods, or strips. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the human subject H is being subjected to high energy radiation 204 from the high energy radiation source 202. As illustrated in the embodiment, only the human subject’s 202 internal organs around the chest, torso, and abdomen will be protected from the high energy radiation 204. As described hereinabove, the thickness, height, width, spacing, etc. of the bars, rods, or strips will determine the amount of protection from the high energy radiation 204 the human subject H receives, but with the protective material 100 on, the human subject H will receive at least partial protection.

Those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the amount of radiation that actually penetrates through either the gaps between the bars, strips, or rods, or through the bars, strips, or rods themselves, will be dependent upon an angle at which the human subject H faces the high energy radiation source 202 as well as the angle at which it moves around the radiation source 202. As the human subject H moves around the radiation source 202, and/or the location or position of the radiation source 202, the amount of radiation 204 absorbed by the human subject H can fluctuate in what can be known as“smearing”.

FIG. 6A illustrates a human subject H wearing a tight-fitting body suit 302 in a first environment 300 where such a material might be needed. In some embodiments, the tight-fitting body suit 302 is configured to cover almost the entire body except for the human subject’s H head, hands, and feet. This tight-fitting body suit can comprise, for example and without limitation, a wet suit, combat suit, or other suitable material. In some embodiments, the tight-fitting body suit can also cover the remainder of the body such as the hands, feet and head. As illustrated in FIG. 6B, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the tight-fitting body suit 302 can comprise the tight-fitting body suit 302 of FIG. 6A with a protective material 100 comprising a plurality of beads, balls, pellets, or disks embedded within the tight-fitting body suit 302 such that it protects at least a portion of the body from high energy radiation. For example and without limitation, as illustrated in FIG. 6B, the tight-fitting body suit 302 can comprise a protective material 100 comprising a plurality of beads, balls, pellets, or disks positioned within the tight-fitting body suit 302 such that the plurality of beads, balls, pellets, or disks protects the organs in and on the chest, abdomen, and/or torso. Like the vest described above, the tight-fitting body suit 302 in FIGS. 6A, 6B, and/or 6C can be modular as well such that different protective materials 100 or modules of protective materials 100 can be inserted into pockets, slots, etc. of the tight-fitting body suit 302. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the beads, balls, pellets, or disks can be arranged or embedded within the tight-fitting body suit 302 in one large pocket or section, or several different modules of beads, balls, pellets, or disks can be installed into different pockets, slots, or other appropriate area of the tight-fitting body suit 302. Those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the protective material 100 inserted into the slots, pockets, etc. can also be removed to lighten the tight-fitting body suit 302.

As illustrated in FIG. 6B, the arms, legs, hands, feet, and head of the human subject H are left unprotected. In some instances, especially where it is less likely that an extremely harmful dose will be received by the human subject H, a wearable material with this configuration would be ideal because it would be one of the more flexible or agile designs. In some embodiments, although this figure only shows the front side of the wearable material, those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the back and sides of the tight-fitting body suit 302 can comprise the protective material 100 comprising balls, beads, pellets, or disks positioned within the tight-fitting body suit 302 as well. In some embodiments, the protective balls, beads, pellets, or disks can comprise heavy metal(s), for example and without limitation, tungsten, lead, gold, palladium, steel, or other suitable material or alloy of any of the above for blocking, reflecting, deflecting, or absorbing radiation. In some embodiments, the balls, beads, pellets, or disks can be any suitable diameter that balances maximizing protection and ease of wear or flexibility of the wearable material. Those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the most effective way to manufacture such a suit would be to tailor the tight- fitting body suit 302 and configure the protective material 100 in terms of number, size, and spacing, of the disks, balls, and beads, to the particular person wearing the protective material 100. However, the most efficient way to produce a large number of these types of suits would be to produce different sizes, such as small, medium, large, and extra-large.

Although it appears, from this illustration, that the tight-fitting body suit 302 is, at least partially, see through, in some embodiments, the tight-fitting body suit 302, including the protective material 100 can be made from clear material such that viewers can see the internal components of the protective material 100. In some other embodiments, the tight-fitting body suit 302 is not see-through and can be made of any suitable color material. In some embodiments, it is ideal to be a color or made of a material that is at least partially reflective with respect to radiation.

FIG. 6C illustrates a human subject H wearing a tight-fitting body suit 302 like that shown in FIG. 6B. In some embodiments, the tight-fitting body suit 302 can comprise a protective material 100 comprising a plurality of beads, balls, pellets, or disks that are embedded throughout the entire tight- fitting body suit 302. For example and without limitation, the plurality of beads, balls, pellets, or disks can be positioned such that the arms, legs, chest, torso, and/or abdomen are all protected, at least partially from radiation. As described above, the positioning and arrangement of the balls, beads, pellets, or disks does not completely absorb, reduce, block, deflect and or reflect the radiation from penetrating the tight-fitting body suit 302 to the human subject H, but it does, at least partially, absorb, reduce, block, deflect and or reflect the radiation. In some embodiments, depending on the thickness of the balls, beads, pellets, or disks, the tight-fitting body suit in FIG. 6C is likely heavier and less flexible than the tight-fitting body suit in FIG. 6B, making the tight- fitting body suit 302 in FIG. 6C harder to move around in, but more protective overall. In some embodiments, the tight-fitting body suit 302 illustrated in either FIG. 6B or 6C can also comprise a covering and/or coverage for the hands, feet, head, and/or face. In other words, in some embodiments, for example and without limitation the hands, feet, head, and/or face can also be covered by wearable material of the tight-fitting body suit 302. In some embodiments, the materials that provide coverage for the hands, feet, head, and/or face can be separate materials such as, for example, gloves, or other hand coverings, socks, or other foot coverings, face masks, hoods, or other head and/or face coverings, or that can be a part of the tight-fitting body suit 302 and integrated into the design.

FIG. 7 A illustrates a human subject H in a second environment 400 wearing a protective suit 402 including the main suit, gloves or other hand covering, feet coverings, or boots, and a head covering, or a hood. In some embodiments, this type of protective suit 402 can be chemically protective or resistant, so it can not only prevent a human subject from coming into contact with dangerous chemicals, but it can also be embedded with some of the protective materials or modules described hereinabove. Like the vest described above, the protective suit 402 in FIGS. 7A, 7B, and/or 7C can be modular as well, such that different protective materials 100 or modules of protective materials 100 can be inserted into pockets, slots, etc. of the protective suit 402. For example and without limitation, in some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 7B, the protective suit 402 can comprise a module of protective material 100, namely bars, rods, or strips that cover or at least partially protect the torso, chest, and/or abdomen from any high energy radiation directed at the human subject H wearing the protective suit 402. In this configuration, as described above, the major internal organs in the human subject’s H chest, torso, and/or abdomen are at least partially protected from the high energy radiation as only some of the radiation penetrates through the protective bars, rods, or strips. As depicted in FIG. 7B, in some embodiments, the bars, rods, or strips can be vertically oriented. However, in some other embodiments, the bars, rods, or strips can be horizontally oriented as well. In some embodiments, the protective module or material 100 can be in a single layer of protective material 100 or in multiple layers such that multiple layers of protective material 100 are embedded into the protective suit 402.

As illustrated in FIG. 7C, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the entire protective suit 402 can be covered in protective material 100 like the heavy metal bars, strips, or rods described above. Like the description of flexibility of the tight-fitting body suit 302 above, the protective suit 402 that covers the entire human subject H with protective material 100 is much less flexible and much heavier than the protective suit 402 that only has protective material 100 covering the chest, abdomen, and/or torso.

EXAMPLES

FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C illustrate various stages of one or more example tests conducted to demonstrate concepts of the present disclosure. Several test subjects, namely, mice, were given example protective material, arranged on their bodies near critical or important organs and testing was performed. FIG. 8A illustrates the test environment, wherein several mice were subjected to at least two different radiation tests. The first test involved subjecting ten test mice to high-energy radiation without any shielding at all. In the second test, ten test mice were placed inside a lead shielding box with a protective module in between. The protective module comprised bars, rods, or strips of 2mm diameter tungsten rods positioned over the test mouse. Each of the test mice were subjected to the same amount and intensity of radiation whether they were shielded or not shielded.

FIG. 8B illustrates a graph depicting the exposure of each of the ten mice that were protected using the protective material when subjected to the radiation. As shown by the spikes in the graph in FIG. 8B, when the radiation encountered a tungsten rod, strip, or bar, the amount of exposure was very low: less than 50 Rad/min. However, when there was a gap in the protective material, the exposure was much higher: between 130 Rad/min and over 300 Rad/min. This testing shows that when the radiation hits the tungsten bar, rod, or strip, the radiation does not get all the way through, or is at least partially depleted, meaning the tissue (mouse) behind the protective material is not subjected to a uniform dose of radiation. FIG. 8C illustrates a graph depicting the survival rates of the mice exposed to radiation with and without the protective material. The results were that, for those mice that were exposed to the high energy radiation without any protective material, such as the tungsten bars, strips, or rods, 80-100% of them died within 15 days of being exposed to the radiation. For those mice that were exposed to the high energy radiation, but with the protective material, 90-100% survived at least 30 days, which was a very significant improvement.

It will be understood that various details of the presently disclosed subject matter can be changed without departing from the scope of the presently disclosed subject matter. Furthermore, the foregoing description is for the purpose of illustration only, and not for the purpose of limitation.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1 . A wearable fabric for shielding or protecting a subject from radiation, the wearable material comprising:

at least some non-shielding portions or areas configured to allow radiation to pass through the fabric and shielding portions or areas configured to significantly attenuate radiation; and

the fabric being flexible and configured for being worn by or at least partially cover a subject such that at least some portions of at least some living tissue of the subject are at least partially shielded from radiation and the living tissue of the subject is capable of facilitating effective tissue repair and regeneration from the radiation exposure.

2. The wearable fabric of claim 1 , wherein the shielding portions or areas of the fabric comprise a plurality of structures.

3. The wearable fabric of claim 2, wherein the plurality of structures are spaced-apart to form gaps or spaces between the structures.

4. The wearable fabric of claim 3, wherein the plurality of structures comprise beads, rods, blocks, balls, bars, strips, discs, or any combination thereof.

5. The wearable fabric of claim 2 wherein the plurality of structures are part of a fabric layer or layers.

6. The wearable fabric of claim 2, wherein the plurality of structures are configured to spatially fractionate radiation.

7. The wearable fabric of claim 1 , wherein the shielding portions or areas of the fabric are configured to significantly attenuate radiation.

8. The wearable fabric of claim 1 , wherein the fabric comprises a layer or layers of fabric.

9. The wearable fabric of claim 8, wherein the layer or layers comprise a fabric material, a non-woven material, and/or a laminate material.

10. The wearable fabric of claim 1 , wherein the fabric comprises a fabric that is woven, knitted, or felted.

1 1 . The wearable fabric of claim 1 , wherein the shielding portions or areas of the fabric are configured to shield or protect against high energy radiation, including high energy X-rays and gamma radiation.

12. The wearable fabric of claim 1 , wherein the fabric is configured to allow the subject to move while wearing the fabric.

13. The wearable fabric of claim 1 , wherein the shielding portions or areas of the fabric only cover a predetermined area(s) or portion(s) of the subject.

14. The wearable fabric of claim 13, wherein the predetermined area(s) or portion(s) of the subject are organs or other vital areas or portions of the subject.

15. A fabric for shielding or protecting a subject from radiation, the fabric comprising:

a plurality of structures that form gaps or spaces between at least some of the plurality of structures;

the plurality of structures being configured to spatially fractionate radiation;

wherein the gaps or spaces between at least some of the plurality of structures are configured to allow radiation to pass through the gaps or spaces; and the fabric being flexible and configured for being worn by or at least partially cover a subject such that at least some portions of at least some living tissue of the subject are at least partially shielded from radiation and the living tissue of the subject is capable of facilitating effective tissue repair and regeneration from the radiation exposure.

16. A method for shielding a subject from exposure to radiation, the method comprising:

providing a wearable fabric for shielding or protecting the subject from radiation, the wearable fabric comprising:

a fabric comprising at least some non-shielding portions or areas configured to allow radiation to pass through the fabric and shielding portions or areas configured to at least partially absorb, reduce, block, deflect, and/or reflect radiation; and

the fabric being flexible and configured for being worn by or at least partially cover a subject such that exposure of the subject to radiation shields or protects living tissue of the subject to allow the tissue to repair and recover from the radiation exposure; and

at least partially shielding or protecting the subject from radiation exposure.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the shielding portions or areas of the fabric comprise a plurality of structures.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the plurality of structures are spaced- apart to form gaps or spaces between the structures.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the plurality of structures comprise beads, rods, blocks, balls, bars, strips, discs, or any combination thereof.

20. The method of claims 17, wherein the plurality of structures are part of a fabric layer or layers.

21 . The method of claims 17, wherein the plurality of structures are configured to spatially fractionate radiation.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the shielding portions or areas of the fabric are configured to significantly attenuate radiation.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the fabric comprises a layer or layers of material.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the layer or layers comprise a fabric material, a non-woven material, and/or a laminate material.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein the fabric comprises a fabric that is woven, knitted, or felted.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein the shielding portions or areas of the fabric are configured to shield or protect against high energy radiation, including high energy X-rays and gamma radiation.

27. The method of claim 16, wherein the fabric allows the subject to move while wearing the fabric.

28. The method of claim 16, wherein the shielding portions or areas of the fabric only cover a predetermined area(s) or portion(s) of the subject.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the predetermined area(s) or portion(s) of the subject are organs or other vital areas or portions of the subject.

30. A method of making a fabric configured to allow a subject to survive a radiation exposure, the method comprising: arranging a plurality of structures in a fabric, wherein the plurality of structures are spaced-apart and define gaps or spaces between the plurality of structures;

wherein the plurality of structures of the fabric are shielding portions or areas configured to significantly attenuate radiation; and

wherein the fabric is flexible and comprises at least some non-shielding portions or areas that are not configured to significantly attenuate radiation.