Calculation of radiation shielding parameters of YBa2Cu3O7 and Y3Ba5Cu8O18 superconductors for the energies from 122 to 1332 keV using EGS4 code

Abstract

This Study aims to evaluate the radiation shielding efficiency of YBa2Cu3O7 and Y3Ba5Cu8O18 superconducting ceramics. In the current study, the radiation shielding efficiency of YBa2Cu3O7 and Y3Ba5Cu8O18 superconducting ceramics were calculated using the EGS4 code and discussed experimentally and theoretically by comparing with XCOM data. The mass attenuation coefficients (μ/ρ) for YBa2Cu3O7 and Y3Ba5Cu8O18 superconductors and their contents was investigated theoretically (EGS4 and WinXcom) and experimentally at gamma-ray energies from 122 to 1332 keV. The theoretical values have been computed in the energy range from 1 keV to 100 MeV using WinXcom program. Then, using the mass attenuation coefficients, it was determined some shielding parameters such as mean free path (MFP), half value layer (HVL), effective atomic number (Zeff), radiation protection efficiency (RPE) and gamma–ray kerma coefficients ((kγ). It has been seen that the theoretical and the empirical results were in agreement. The data and findings from this study can guide further research and development of shielding materials for gamma-ray and neutron shielding applications.