Investigation of radiation shielding parameters of boron compounds

Abstract

The radiation shielding parameters such as effective atomic number, effective electron density, mean free path (MFP), half value layer (HVL) and tenth value layer (TVL) were calculated experimentally and theoretically for Boron Carbide(BC4), Boron nitride (BN), Boric acid (H3BO3), Iron boride (Fe2B), Lanthanum borate (BLaO3), Sodium borohydride (NaBH4), Borax (Na2H20B4O17), Titanium diboride (TiB2), and Zirconium diboride (ZrB2) compounds. In experimental measurements, the compounds were irradiated by 137Ba, 152Eu and 241Am radioactive gamma-ray sources. The theoretical results obtained with the help of the WinXCom computer program were compared with the experimental results and they were found to be in good agreement. Moreover, energy absorption buildup factor (EABF) and exposure buildup factor (EBF) values were calculated for compounds using the geometric progression (G.P.) fitting formula for the energy range of 0.015–15 MeV and penetration depth up to 40 mfp (mean free path). Buildup factors (EABF, EBF) increased with increasing penetration depth. In general, the buildup factors for all compounds formed a Gaussian curve and had the highest values in the energy range dominated by Compton scattering. As a result of the findings obtained in the study, it was seen that Lanthanum borate gave the best results in radiation shielding.