Probing the elasticity and radiation protection potential of neodymium(III) doped zinc and niobium tellurite glasses: An integrated simulated and applied physics perspective

Abstract

The present work scrutinizes the radiation protection features and mechanical characteristics of neodymium zinc-tellurite of composition (TeO2)75-(ZnO)10 – (Nb2O5)15−x - (Nd2O3)x: x = 0–9 mol%. An MCNP Monte Carlo simulation code and Phy-X software were performed to evaluate the radiation shielding parameters (e.g., linear attenuation coefficient (μ), mass attenuation coefficient (μm), half value layer (H1/2), etc. of the investigated TZNNdx glasses. Results revealed that the increasing of Nd2O3 concentration in TZNNd-glasses from 1 to 9 mol% had a positive effect on their elastic parameters: Young's modulus increased from 52.949 to 55.44 GPa, bulk modulus changed from 31.189 to 34.411 GPa, and the PR varied from 0.217 to 0.228 for TZNNd1 to TZNNd5. Compared to prior research on similar compositions, our findings indicate a more pronounced enhancement in both mechanical and Radiation shielding properties, suggesting an optimized composition strategy. The linear attenuation coefficient (μ) increased in the order TZNNd0 < TZNNd3 < TZNNd5 < TZNNd7 < TZNNd9. The half-value layer varies inversely with the linear attenuation coefficient and varies from 0.004 to 3.600 cm for TZNNd0, 0.003–3.453 cm for TZNNd3, 0.003–3.346 cm for TZNNd5, 0.003–3.253 cm for TZNNd7, and 0.003–3.159 cm for TZNNd9. Throughout the considered energy spectrum, the range of Zeff for the glasses varied from 44.98 to 30.51, 46.31 – 31.51, 47.13 – 32.18, 47.89 – 32.85, and 48.61 – 33.53 for TZNNd0, TZNNd3, TZNNd5, TZNNd7, and TZNNd9, respectively. Also, the values of fast neutron removal cross-section ΣR were calculated and showed a steady increase as the partial densities of Nd and oxygen of the TZNNd-glass systems increased. The FNRCS (∑R) of the TZNNd glass samples have FNRCS values of 0.093, 0.106, 0.107, 0.108, and 0.109 cm−1 for TZNNd0, TZNNd3, TZNNd5, TZNNd7, and TZNNd9, respectively Generally, one can conclude that the additive of Nd2O3 to Nb2O5-TeO2-ZnO glasses enhances their mechanical properties and increases their ability to absorb neutrons and photons to apply in nuclear medicine applications.