Chemical and physical analysis of synthesized coumarin compounds: Investigating responses to gamma and neutron radiations

Abstract

This research investigates the chemical and physical characteristics of three recently synthesized coumarin compounds produced via the von Pechmann condensation mechanism. These compounds were successfully and precisely synthesized, as confirmed by a comprehensive understanding of their chemical composition obtained through combined infrared and NMR analyses. The compounds underwent examination regarding their responses to gamma and neutron radiations, and their mass attenuation coefficients (MAC) were determined using both GATE/Geant4 simulation and NIST-XCOM data. Additionally, the effective removal cross-section values for fast neutrons were calculated employing various methods. All acquired data has been compared with that of water and other materials in the existing literature. Although coumarin compounds might not have intrinsic shielding properties, they have the potential to be part of composite materials designed for specific applications. Comparative analysis with established radiation dosimetry systems showed the coumarin compounds’ attenuation coefficients closely aligning with water, indicating their potential suitability for nuclear applications requiring water-equivalent properties. Further assessment with Geant4 simulation under linac photon beams demonstrated the water-equivalent properties of the coumarin compounds for 6 MV and 18 MV.