A Unified Model and Optimization for Deep Space Radiation Shielding Based on Proton Density

TL;DR

This paper introduces a semi-empirical model based on proton density for optimizing lightweight deep space radiation shielding materials, validated through genetic algorithms and simulations, revealing trade-offs between mass and space savings.

Contribution

It proposes a novel ternary coupled semi-empirical model centered on proton density, linking material properties with shielding performance, and integrates it into a genetic algorithm for practical design optimization.

Findings

Model achieves 6.2%-8.2% accuracy compared to Geant4 simulations.

High proton utilization rates (60-100 MeV cm^-2 mol^-1) enable significant mass savings.

High full absorption threshold (Eth) allows ultra-thin shielding at higher proton densities.

Abstract

In the field of deep space radiation shielding design, traditional high-Z metals are being progressively replaced by novel low-Z materials such as hydrogenated graphene foam, polyethylene-carbon nanotube composite fibers, and boron-rich hydrogen-containing metal-organic frameworks. This transition stems from the constraints of the "gram-scale weight reduction" bottleneck. However, the mechanisms behind these materials' outstanding "lightweight performance" remain at the purely phenomenological level. To address this issue, this paper innovatively proposes a ternary coupled semi-empirical model, with "proton density" (rho_p) as the core independent variable (equivalent to electron density), establishing correlations with full absorption threshold (Eth) and proton utilization rate (eta_p). To validate the model's practicality in complex system design, we embedded it into the NSGA-II genetic algorithm (POP=20, MAXGEN=10). Under constraints of 2-5 layer structures with total thickness <=1 cm, the model's predicted optimal solutions showed an average design error of only 6.2%-8.2% compared to Geant4 heavy simulation dose results. This study provides the first quantitative physical explanation of the inherent trade-off between low-Z materials' "mass savings" and high-Z materials' "space savings." When rho_p<1 mol cm^-3, materials demonstrate extremely high proton utilization rates (eta_p reaching 60-100 MeV cm^-2 mol^-1), achieving 35%-55% mass savings. Conversely, when rho_p>1 mol cm^-3, although eta_p drops below 30 MeV cm^-2 mol^-1, its exceptionally high full absorption threshold (Eth) enables ultra-thin shielding technology. This work offers a robust, physically interpretable, and scalable design tool for multi-objective optimization of area density, thickness, and dose in deep space missions.