Tantalum based polymers for cosmic radiation shielding

Cosmic radiation poses a significant challenge for long-duration space missions by inducing biological damage and degradation of spacecraft materials and electronics. In this study, the radiation shielding performance of tantalum-based polymers, Ta(OC2H5)5 and Ta(OC3H7)5, is investigated using the Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter (SRIM) framework. Key interaction parameters, including stopping power, projected range, and straggling, are evaluated for protons, alpha particles, and representative heavy ions (C, O, and Fe), and compared with a hydrogen-rich reference polymer, C2H4. While hydrogen-rich materials exhibit higher stopping power for light ions, tantalum-based polymers significantly reduce ion penetration depth, enabling compact shielding. The results indicate that tantalum-based polymers are promising candidates for hybrid or multilayer cosmic radiation shielding applications.