Radiation protection assessment of gamma photons in 64TeO2–10WO3–10Nb2O5– 15KF–1La2O3 glasses doped with Tm2O3 using photon-shielding and dosimetry software

Abstract

Radiation-shielding applications are necessary to protect against deleterious effects of radiation. This study tested thulium oxide (Tm2O3) added to the glass-system composition 64TeO2–10WO3–10Nb2O5–15KF–1La2O3. Adding Tm2O3 increased sample density from 5.22 to 5.40 g/cm3 and measured at photon energy of 15 keV–15 MeV. Multiple radiationshielding parameters were evaluated and assessed using photon-shielding and dosimetry software, including linear and mass attenuation coefficients, half-value layers, mean free paths, atomic and electronic cross sections, effective atomic numbers, effective electron density, and exposure buildup factors. Half-value layer and mean free-path values were compared with those of well-known radiation-shielding materials, ie, conventional concrete and commercial glasses. Atomic and electronic cross-section values effectively increased with the addition of thulium oxide to the glass systems. While the highest linear and attenuation coefficients were 242–281 cm2 /g at 15 keV, the denser glass recorded the highest mass attenuation coefficients value of 52.17 cm2 /g across all samples. The highest effective atomic number and effective electron density were recorded for the denser glass, because it had the highest thulium oxide fraction and was more burdened by interaction with photon energy. Half-value layers and mean free paths showed similar behavior, and high-density materials achieved low values. At high energy, exposure buildup-factor values increased, while at low energy, values decreased.