Reckoning of nuclear radiation attenuation capabilities for binary GeO2-Tl2O, GeO2-Bi2O3, and ternary GeO2-Tl2O–Bi2O3 glasses utilizing pertinent theoretical and computational approaches

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Abstract In this work, a total of eight thallium germanate, bismuth germanate, and bismuth thallium germanate glasses were explored for nuclear radiation shielding purposes. By employing the WinXCOM dependent Phy-X/PSD program, linear attenuation coefficient (μ) and mass attenuation coefficient (μ/ρ) values have been figured out within γ-ray energy range of 0.015–15 MeV and acquired μ/ρ quantities are in well accord with simulated Geant4 and Penelope codes μ/ρ results, accordingly. Some other relevant γ-ray attenuation parameters like effective atomic number (Zeff), effective electron density (Neff), half-value layer (HVL), tenth-value layer (TVL), and mean free path (MFP) were evaluated with the aid of Phy-X/PSD μ/ρ results. All μ/ρ, Zeff, Neff, HVL, TVL, and MFP parameters rely upon both samples' chemical composition and γ-ray energy. In place of GeO2, the inclusion of Tl2O and/or Bi2O3 in all selected samples demonstrates the enhanced γ-ray attenuation capacity with increasing Zeff and lower HVL, TVL, and MFP values. Besides, utilizing geometric progression (G‒P) fitting approach, within 0.015–15 MeV γ-ray energy range exposure buildup factors (EBFs) and energy absorption buildup factors (EABFs) have been estimated at discrete penetration depths (up to 40 mfp) and larger EBFs and EABFs are attained at higher energies with greater penetration depths. The ternary 16GeO2-62Tl2O–22Bi2O3 (mol%) glass, among all the tested samples, by owing comparatively larger μ, μ/ρ, and Zeff, lower HVL, TVL, MFP, EBFs, and EABFs, validate its' superior γ-ray attenuation ability as even HVL and MFP quantities of this sample are lower than some of the commercial shielding glasses, alloys, polymers, and concretes respective values when compared. Additionally, for all samples, neutron total cross-section (σT) values are derived within the neutron energy range of 10−8‒10 MeV by exerting Geant4 code. At 10−8 and 10 MeV neutron energies, the obtained ‘σT’ values are varied within 0.3589–0.4245 cm−1 and 0.13–0.1439 cm−1 ranges, respectively, for all studied glasses.