Assessment of nuclear shielding and alpha/proton mass stopping power properties of various metallic glasses

Abstract

This work aimed to investigate alpha, proton, neutron and gamma shielding qualifications of different bulk metallic glasses (Zr65Al7.5Ni10Cu17.5, Ti40Zr26Be28Fe6, Cu49Hf42Al9, Pd40Ni40P20, Ni50Pd30P20, and Ca65Mg15Zn20) for nuclear security applications. Therefore, vital gamma radiation attenuation parameter namely mass attenuation coefficients ($$\mu_{\rho }$$) of investigated bulk metallic glasses (BMG) were determined using WinXCOM program. Next, half value layer (HVL), effective atomic number (Zeff), effective electron density (Nel) and exposure buildup factors (EBF) were perused in a wide energy interval (0.02–20 MeV). Among the investigated samples, MG3 was found to be superior attenuator sample for gamma radiation, while MG6 was the least forceful glasses to reduce the photon intensity. The elements Pd and Hf in MG4, MG5 and MG3 were enhanced radiation shielding competences of the BMGs. Further, fast neutron removal cross-sections ($$\sum R$$) were evaluated to investigate neutron protection ability of the BMGs. Projected range (PR) and mass stopping power (MSP) values were obtained for proton (H1) and alpha particles (He+2). The outcomes showed that elemental composition of the metallic glasses was highly powerful on alpha, proton and neutron attenuation. It can be concluded that MG3 sample exhibited high nuclear shielding efficiency as deduced from the largest $$\mu_{\rho }$$, Zeff, and $$\sum R$$, and the lowest HVL, EBF, MSP and PR values.