Unwanted exposures to high-energy or ionizing
radiation can be hazardous to health. Prolonged or
accumulated radiation dosage from either particle-emissions
such as alpha/beta, proton, electron, neutron emissions, or
high-energy electromagnetic waves such as X-rays/? rays, may
result in carcinogenesis, cell mutations, organ failure, etc. To
avoid occupational hazards from these kinds of exposures,
researchers have traditionally used heavy metals or their
composites to attenuate the radiation. However, protective
gear made of heavy metals are not only cumbersome but also
are capable of producing more penetrative secondary
radiations which requires additional shielding, increasing the
cost and the weight factor. Consequently, significant research efforts have been focused toward designing efficient, lightweight,
cost-effective, and flexible shielding materials for protection against radiation encountered in various industries (aerospace,
hospitals, and nuclear reactors). In this regard, polymer composites have become attractive candidates for developing materials
that can be designed to effectively attenuate photon or particle radiation. In this paper, we review the state-of-the-art of polymer
composites reinforced with micro/nanomaterials, for their use as radiation shields