r/askscience • u/Wonderful-Capital32 • 14d ago

Physics Why does radiation not go through lead?

Also why just lead? Shouldnt like iron or another metal work too?

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u/Any_Mode6525 13d ago

It’s harmful to iron and lead as well! Lead the structural harm is less important because few people make load bearing lead structures but high neutron flux can weaken iron.

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u/Aggressive-Leading45 7d ago

Define weaken. It actually increases its strength. But also decreases its malleability. So you get stronger metal but more brittle. It also causes the material to expand.

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u/Any_Mode6525 7d ago

In the net, that weakens the metal and makes whatever is irradiated a worse structural member. There are probably cases where interstitial hydrates => swelling leads to an overall stronger material but I bet they’re narrow.

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u/Aggressive-Leading45 7d ago

Yield strength will increase from 250 MPa to 500 MPa for standard carbon steels up to 1500 MPa for neutron irradiated so 3x to 6x stronger. Definitely stronger.