Nontoxic X-Ray-Absorbing Windows

Windows that absorb x rays and are transparent to visible light can be made by compression molding of tantalum oxide/polymer composite materials. The main x-ray-absorbing medium in these windows is tantalum instead of lead, which is the traditional main x-ray-absorbing medium. These composite windows have been developed to replace lead-filled glass and lead-filled polymer x-ray-absorbing windows, which are unsuitable for use in some environments because of the toxicity of lead.