Abstract
Nuclear radiation shielding capabilities for a glass series 20Bi2O3 − xPbO − (80 − 2x)B2O3 − xGeO2 (where x = 5, 10, 20, and 30 mol%) have been investigated using the Phy-X/PSD software and Monte Carlo N-Particle transport code. The mass attenuation coefficients (μm) of selected samples have been estimated through XCOM dependent Phy-X/PSD program and MCNP-5 code in the photon-energy range 0.015–15 MeV. So obtained μm values are used to calculate other γ-ray shielding parameters such as half-value layer (HVL), mean-free-path (MFP), etc. The calculated μm values were found to be 71.20 cm2/g, 76.03 cm2/g, 84.24 cm2/g, and 90.94 cm2/g for four glasses S1 to S4, respectively. The effective atomic number (Zeff)values vary between 69.87 and 17.11 for S1 or 75.66 and 29.11 for S4 over 0.05–15 MeV of photon-energy. Sample S4, which has a larger PbO/GeO2 of 30 mol% in the bismuth-borate glass, possesses the lowest MFP and HVL, providing higher radiation protection efficiency compared to all other combinations. It shows outperformance while compared the calculated parameters (HVL and MFP) with the commercial shielding glasses, different alloys, polymers, standard shielding concretes, and ceramics. Geometric Progression (G-P) was applied for evaluating the energy absorption and exposure buildup factors at energies 0.015–15 MeV with penetration depths up to 40 mfp. The buildup factors showed dependence on the MFP and photon-energy as well. The studied samples' neutron shielding behavior was also evaluated by calculating the fast neutron removal cross-section (ΣR), i.e. found to be 0.139 cm−1 for S1, 0.133 cm−1 for S2, 0.128 cm−1 for S3, and 0.12 cm−1 for S4. The results reveal a great potential for using a glass composite sample S4 in radiation protection applications.
Highlights
Nuclear radiation shielding capabilities for a glass series 20Bi2O3 − xPbO − (80 − 2x)B2O3 − x GeO2 have been investigated using the Phy-X/PSD software and Monte Carlo N-Particle transport code
Radiation shielding of glass structures can be developed by adding some high-density materials like heavy metal oxides (HMO)
The glass structures made with HMO (Pb, Ba, and Bi) show characteristics like high refractive index, high infrared transparency, and high nonlinear optical susceptibility[21,22,23], all of which are favorable for a material to be used as an effective γ-rays shielding
Summary
A number of researchers studied the γ-rays attenuation parameters for a variety of glasses like bismuth borate glasses[12], lead borate glasses[13], lead fluoroborate glasses[14], bismuth borosilicate glasses[15], alkali borosilicate g lasses[16], barium borosilicate g lasses[17], calcium–strontium-borate glasses[18], lead silicate glasses[19] and lead/barium phosphate glasses[20], etc In these glasses12–20, B2O3 is a common component that gives glass-forming of a lower melting point with good thermal stability and transparency. Radiation shielding of glass structures can be developed by adding some high-density materials like heavy metal oxides (HMO). Boro-germanate glasses offer high solubility to dissolve heavy metals, extending resistance to moisture, low melting point, good transparency, and excellent thermal s tability[29]
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