Study of gamma attenuation properties of tungsten copper alloys

Abstract

Gamma attenuation parameters such as mass attenuation coefficient, effective atomic numbers, electron density, buildup factor, and specific absorbed fraction of energy of tungsten copper alloys (CuW(50), CuW(55), CuW(60), CuW(65), CuW(70), CuW(75), CuW(80), CuW(85) and CuW(90)) are evaluated. G-P fitting method has been used to compute energy absorption build-up factor for a wide energy range (0.015-15 MeV). The computed absorption build-up factor is used to estimate specific absorbed fraction of energy. The thickness of the medium up to 10 mm and with penetration depth up to 40 mean free paths is considered. The dependence of the specific absorbed fraction of energy on incident photon energy, penetration and the thickness of the medium has also been studied. These gamma attenuation parameters change with the energy. For a given alloy's Zeff, buildup factors and specific absorbed fraction of energy values are minimum for CuW(50) and maximum for CuW(90). The mass attenuation coefficients and electron density values for CuW(50) are higher than for CuW(90). The present study is useful in the selection of gamma shielding materials.