Analyses of Gamma and Neutron Attenuation Properties of the AA6082 composite material doped with boron carbide (B4C)

Abstract

Aluminum Alloy AA6082 + (0–40%) B4C materials were analyzed in the energy range between 0.015 and 15 MeV by PSD software. The mass and linear attenuation coefficients (MAC, LAC), tenth-half value layers (TVL, HVL), mean-free path (MFP), effective atomic number (Zeff), equivalent atomic number (Zeq), fast neutron removal cross-section (FNRC), electron density (Neff), effective conductivity (Ceff), and exposure buildup factors (EBFs) parameters were computed for the energy range between 0.015 and 15 MeV. The research implied that LAC and MAC values in the Aluminum Alloy AA6082 functionally graded composite materials increased with the reduction in the B4C contents in the studied material. EBFs under the penetration depth of up to 40 mfp in the energy range between 0.015 and 15 MeV were computed by employing the Geometric-Progression method. TVL, FNRC, Ceff, and Neff values varied between 0.01 and 0.452 cm, 7.918–10.527 cm-1, 5.47.1010–8.31.1010 S/m, 2.90.1025–4.34.1025 electrons/g, respectively. AA6082 material showed the maximum photon shielding performance owing to having the lowest TVL and HVL values, and the highest Zeff and MAC values while AA6082 + 40% B4C material showed the maximum neutron shielding performance because of its higher density.