Linear Attenuation Coefficient Values Research Articles

SrO–ZnO–PbO–B2O3 glassy insights: Unveiling the structural and optical features for gamma ray shielding efficacy

The melt-quenching approach was utilised to synthesize amorphous SrO–ZnO–PbO–B2O3 glasses, with FTIR spectroscopy applied to the samples to reveal the various bonds' stretching and bending vibrations. With PbO introduced to the network, the UV–Vis absorption spectrum's absorption peak shifts towards the higher wavelength values, while Tauc plot analysis of the UV–Vis spectra reveals a 2.957–2.569 eV decrease in the band gap energy. The radiation shielding properties are examined via Phy-X program. The mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) has an inverse relation with the energy, which demonstrated the greater penetration ability of radiation that contains higher energy. In terms of the MAC values at low energies the results revealed a greater difference, while they are almost identical at higher energies. The linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) was evaluated and the chemical composition's influence discussed, with the LAC values in the order of SZPB1 <SZPB2 <SZPB3 <SZPB4. This confirms that the PbO addition leads to increased LAC values. The half value layer (HVL) decreases with increased concentration of PbO. This suggests that the higher the glass system's PbO content, the thinner the glass system needs to be to attenuate half of the incoming photons.

Structural, mechanical, and radiation shielding properties of B2O3–Na2O–PbO–Fe2O3 glass system

In the present study, four glass samples were fabricated using ordinary melting quenching, and annealing processes. The glass composition was based on (85-x)B2O3–10Na2O-xPbO-5Fe2O3 formula where x = 10, 20, 30 and 40 all in mol%. Additionally, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) was utilized to investigate the structural behavior of the synthesized glasses; it shows main peaks in the regions around 693 cm−1, 703 cm−1, 913 cm−1, 1001–1060 cm−1, 1187–1211 cm−1, and 1446–1303 cm−1. Moreover, various physical, and mechanical properties were calculated based on the Makishima and Mackenzi model to study the stability of the mentioned glasses. Young modulus reduced from 95.498 to 64.877 GPa for B75Pb10 and B45Pb40, respectively. The Phy-X/PSD software was employed to analyze various radiation shielding properties, including the mass attenuation coefficient and linear attenuation coefficient (LAC). The introduction of PbO% increased density values from 3.287 g/cm³ to 5.408 g/cm³, consequently enhancing the LAC across all incident photon energies. Numerically, the LAC values at 0.015 MeV for all glass samples prepared in this study are remarkably elevated with increasing Pb mol%: 101.38 cm−1, 193.46 cm−1, 289.15 cm−1, and 289.21 cm−1 for B75Pb10, B65Pb20, B55Pb30, and B45Pb40, respectively, suggesting efficient attenuation properties for B45Pb40 than the rest of samples prepared in this work. Various parameters were derived from the LAC, including the mean free path, half-value layer, transmission factor, and radiation protection efficiency. Additionally, an investigation into the variation of the effective atomic number for the prepared samples with energy was conducted. Finally, the relationship between the Specific Dose Constant (Γ) and Photon Energy (MeV) for the prepared samples, along with an examination of the dose rate, was carried out.

Improved radiation shielding efficiency and optical properties of borate glass by incorporating dysprosium(III) oxide

The present investigation used the melt-quench method to produce four distinct glass systems using boron-Dy2O3 glass. The glass system consisting of B2O3, BaO, ZnO, and Li2O was augmented with Dysprosium(III) Oxide. A series of borate glasses with the chemical formula (62-x)B2O3-18BaO-10ZnO-10Li2O-xDy2O3 where x=0, 1, 2, 3 mol%. The experimental investigation of Dy2O3 as additives was conducted, with a specific emphasis on their optical characteristics. Also, the addition of Dy2O3 causes the intensity of absorption to increase. Moreover, because of changes in the glass network and modifier, the absorption edge moved to a higher wavelength as the concentration of Dy3+ ions increased, from 345.46 nm for Dy–0–367.48 nm for Dy–3. This study examined glasses with different compositions to evaluate their effectiveness in shielding γ-rays. The Phy-X/PDS and FULKA Code were utilised for this investigation. A comparison analysis was performed on the obtained results. The effective atomic number and other parameters, such as linear attenuation coefficient and half value layer, were calculated within the energy range of 0.015–15 MeV. The study revealed that the Dy-0 has the lowest linear attenuation coefficient compared to the other samples analysed. The glasses Dy-0 and Dy-3 showed half-values of 0.044 and 0.039 cm, respectively, when exposed to 0.05 MeV. The increase in effective atomic number was attributed to a higher quantity of electrons that are accessible for photon interaction. This, in turn, resulted in a reduced probability of γ-ray passage through the shielding material. According to the findings of the gamma radiation shielding experiment, the sample that had the largest amount of Dy2O3 exhibited the most effective shielding qualities, making it an excellent candidate for use in radiation shielding applications.

Utilization of Waste Marble and Bi2O3-NPs as a Sustainable Replacement for Lead Materials for Radiation Shielding Applications

In an attempt to reutilize marble waste, a new approach is presented in the current study to promote its use in the field of shielding against ionizing radiation. In this study, we aimed to develop a novel and sustainable/eco-friendly lead-free radiation shielding material by improving artificial marble (AM) produced from marble waste combined with polyester by reinforcing it with bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) nanoparticles. Six samples of AM samples doped with different concentrations (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25%) of Bi2O3 nanoparticles were prepared. The linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) values were measured experimentally through the narrow beam method at different energies (0.0595 MeV, 0.6617 MeV, 1.1730 MeV, and 1.330 MeV) for all samples with various concentrations of Bi2O3. Radiological shielding parameters such as half value layer (HVL), tenth-value layer (TVL), and radiation shielding efficiency (RSE) were estimated and compared for all the different samples. The results prove that increasing the concentration of Bi2O3 leads to the enhancement of the radiation shielding properties of the AM as a shielding material. It was observed that as the energy increases, the efficiency of the samples falls. High energy dependence was found when calculating the HVL and TVL values of the samples, which increased with increases in the energy of the incident photons. A comparison between the sample with the most efficient gamma radiation attenuation capability (AM-25%), concrete, and lead was conducted, and a discussion regarding their radiation shielding properties is presented herein. The results show that the AM-25% sample is superior to the ordinary concrete over all the studied energy ranges, as evidenced by its significantly lower HVLs. On the contrary, lead is superior to the AM-25% sample over all the studied energy ranges owing to its unbeatable density as a shielding material. Overall, this new type of artificial marble has the potential to be used as a radiation shielding material at low- to medium-gamma energy regions, specifically in medical imaging and radiation therapy.

An experimental and theoretical study to evaluate Al2O3–PbO–B2O3–SiO2–BaO radiation shielding properties

This study's objective is to evaluate an Al2O3–PbO–B2O3–SiO2–BaO glass system's radiation shielding characteristics. The composition of the glasses is 15Al2O3–25PbO–(60-x)B2O3–10SiO2–xBaO, with x in the 5–20 mol% range. Experimental results were used to determine the samples' linear attenuation coefficients (LAC), which were then confirmed by Phy-X program. Utilizing narrow beam transmission geometry, the experimental LAC values were determined. According to the results there was high agreement when comparing the theoretical and experimental values. The LAC values were used to calculate the prepared glasses' mass attenuation coefficients (MAC) and other relevant properties. The mean free path (MFP) values of the sample with 5 mol% BaO were 0.079, 2.549, 3.944 and 4.273 cm at 0.0595, 0.662, 1.173, and 1.332 MeV, thus demonstrating that raising the glass system's BaO enhances the prepared glasses' shielding capacity. According to radiation protection efficiency (RPE), the glasses' capacity to shield the photon is enhanced when their BaO content rises.

Impact of Bi2O3 on the glass system B2O3 -TeO2–MgO–PbO on the purpose of radiation shielding efficacy

In this study, eight glass samples were prepared with the composition of [x Bi2O3-(75-x) B2O3–15TeO2 –5MgO–5PbO; where x = 0, 10, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, and 60 mol%]. In the composition of those glass samples, various amountsof B2O3 were replaced by Bi2O3 to improve the glass material's radiation shielding capability. The mechanical properties of these glasses have been evaluated using densimeter and microhardness. The Vickers microhardness (Hv) slightly decreases as the amount of Bi2O3 increases due to the formation of Non-Bridging Oxygen (NBO). To evaluate the radiation shielding effectiveness of the prepared glass samples, we performed Monte Carlo simulations of several shielding parameters. The mass attenuation coefficients of the experimentally produced BTMPBi glass series were calculated using NIST and MCNP6, and reasonable agreement was found between the simulation and experimental results. The relative difference between NIST and MCNP6-based results was calculated, and the maximum deviation was 2.21% for the 1173 keV gamma ray incident in the BTMPBi60 glass sample. The value of the mean free path of those prepared glass samples maintained the following trend - BTMPBi0> BTMPBi10> BTMPBi20> BTMPBi25> BTMPBi30> BTMPBi40> BTMPBi50>BTMPBi60. The prepared glass sample BTMPBi0 showed a 2.6 times higher value of the mean free path at energy 1332 KeV compared with the prepared BTMPBi60. Analyzing the composition of the prepared glass samples, it is clear that the greater the amount of Bi2O3 the greater the value of linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) and effective atomic number. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the glass sample containing 60 mol % of Bi2O3 (BTMPBi60) exhibited the highest radiation shielding capability among all of the prepared samples.

Evaluation of incorporation of granite waste and SnO2-NPs into coating mortar for gamma-ray shielding

This study explores the use of waste granite and tin oxide nanoparticles (SnO2 NPs) as replacements for sand in mortar composites containing Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), Hydrated Lime (HL), and Quarry Sand (QS). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging revealed an increase in particle distribution between voids in the control mortar, enhancing photon absorption. The density of the prepared mortar samples exhibited a notable increment, with a 2.12–2.30 g/cm3 increase through the inclusion of SnO2-NPs. Additionally, the Phy-X software was employed to experimentally measure and theoretically calculate the linear attenuation coefficient (LAC), demonstrating a high degree of agreement between the two values. The LAC values were found to increase with the replacement ratio of granite waste and SnO2 nanoparticles, demonstrating the effectiveness of these materials as radiation shielding agents. This study investigates the effect of substituting waste granite and SnO2 nanoparticles for sand in mortars, resulting in an increase in LAC levels, indicating potential for improved radiation shielding capabilities, although the degree of change in LAC may be energy-dependent. The half value results (HVL) results demonstrated a significant decrease in required material thickness for radiation shielding applications with numerical values of 1.153, 0.734, 0.456, 0.351, and 0.261 cm for the control, Mor-1, Mor-2, Mor-3, and Mor-4 samples, respectively, at an energy of 0.06 MeV.

Preparation and structure investigation of polyethylene terephthalate polyester reinforced Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles for gamma ray shielding performance

Defects of high atomic materials gamma-ray shielding such as low chemical stability, low mechanical properties, and heaviness lead us to investigate other light and flexible materials such as polymers. Polymer-doped nanosized materials are the most frequently examined materials. In this study, polyethylene terephthalate [(C10H8O4)n] was doped with Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles up to 40 wt% (0.0, 10.0, 20.0, 40.0 wt%) prepared by Sol–Gel auto-combustion method with the help of Gelatin. The polyester/Nanofiller composite structures were identified using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, Scanning, and Transmission electron microscope as well as density measurements. x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the successful doping of nanofiller in the polyester structure as Zn signals appear in the atomic composition and Fe signals appear in the deconvolution of the peaks. x-ray diffraction, transmission, and scanning electron microscope display the same result. x-ray diffraction graph information with the Scherer equation offered the crystal size of the composite (26 nm). Polyester/nanofiller samples were scanned against gamma-ray and experimental shielding factors were computed using a narrow beam transmission technique with sodium iodide detector and two-point sources Cs-137 and Co-60. Experimental Linear and mass attenuation coefficient values swelled as percentages of nanofiller increased in the polyester structure. Experimental Mass attenuation values were compared with theoretical ones estimated from XCOM and Physics-X programs. The difference between them does not exceed 12% which is acceptable as the x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy atomic composition utilized in the theoretical data calculation does not reveal Ni signals. This may occur at the depth of the composite structure. Finally, the half-value layer, the Tenth value layer, and the Mean free path are determined experimentally, and their values are reduced as the nanofiller doping percentage rises in the structure. This result confirms the efficiency of nanofiller addition to the polyester structure to attenuate gamma-ray.

Simultaneous use of bismuth trioxide and mill scale for ternary blended geopolymer composite in radiation shielding applications

The present study evaluates Mill scale which is a steel industry waste and bismuth trioxide simultaneously as a potential radiation shielding material in geopolymer composite. An innovative and first of its kind lead-free design has been developed for making radiation shielding materials using mill scale and bismuth trioxide as shielding aggregates and industrial wastes such as fly ash and blast furnace slag as precursors for the geopolymer composite. The mill scale and bismuth trioxide based composite material are characterized for their radiation shielding characteristics based on shielding parameters commonly used in radiation shielding like linear attenuation coefficient (μ), half value thickness (HVT) and Mean Free Path (MVP) for 0.662 MeV energy. The determined shielding parameters are compared with traditional shielding materials like concrete with heavy aggregates. X-Ray diffraction studies have confirmed the presence of Bismuth ferrite as the major shielding phase responsible for radiation shielding. The mechanical properties of the prepared composites are determined for their strength in direct compression. Depending upon the radiation shielding parameters like linear attenuation coefficient and half value thickness an optimum dosage of mill scale and bismuth trioxide as a shielding composite to provide adequate shielding for X-Ray diagnostic and medical facilities against X-ray photons of low intensity has been recommended. The highest linear attenuation coefficient values of fly ash and slag based geopolymer composites had been observed to be 0.208 and 0.225, respectively.

Extensive analysis of several Indian and Yemeni soils' gamma-ray shielding characteristics: An experimental and simulation approach

The linear attenuation coefficients (LAC) of four soils (Black cotton (S1), Sandy (S2), Clay (S3), and Sandy (S4)) samples were measured at photon energies released from radioisotopes Co57 (122 keV), Ba133 (356 keV), 22Na (511 and 1275 keV), Cs137 (662 keV), Mn54 (840 keV), and Co60 (1330 keV) using a gamma spectrometer includes a NaI (Tl) scintillation detector. The experimental measurements were confirmed utilizing the Monte Carlo N-particle transport code. The linear attenuation coefficient values enhanced from 0.256 cm−1 to 0.296 cm−1 (at Eγ of 122 keV), from 0.126 cm−1 to 0.142 cm−1 (at Eγ of 662 keV), and from 0.0938 cm−1 to 0.105 cm−1 (at Eγ of 1275 keV), raising the (Fe + Mn) concentration from 0.912 wt% to 11.214 wt%, as well as raising the soil samples density from 1.62 g/cm3 to 1.79 g/cm3. The study also shows an enhancement in the half value thickness, transmission factor, radiation protection efficiency and lead's equivalent thickness due to the enrichment of Fe + Mn concentrations within the studied soils. The results show that the Black cotton soil exhibits better shielding properties for γ-ray than the other soils.

Evaluation the Shielding Properties of Various Water Equivalent Materials Using Different Calculation Methods and Monte Carlo

In this study, the linear attenuation coefficients (LAC), mass attenuation coefficients (MAC), half-value layer (HVL), and mean free path (MFP) of various materials such as water equivalent, ABS, Presage, RMI457, RW3, SW557, Epoxy, A150, Rhizophora spp., and Nylon-12 have been calculated using the Monte Carlo simulation method, EpiXS, Phy-X/PSD, and XCOM. Additionally, the fast neutron effective removal cross sections (ΣR) have been calculated using the empirical calculation method, Phy-X/PSD, MRCsC program, experimental and MNCP5 with the help of fast neutron mass removal cross sections. Among all the materials studied, Nylon-12 has the highest ΣR value. The calculated values of HVL, MFP, LAC, and MAC reveal that RW3, Epoxy, and Presage are the best materials in terms of their shielding properties, respectively.

Gamma radiation shielding efficiency of some different ceramic composites: A comparative study

The development of a non-toxic, and low-cost material that offers good shielding against harmful ionizing radiation is highly demanded. This work offers a strategy for combining ceramic composites and carbon nanotubes to produce composites with desirable radiation shielding properties. First, we successfully prepared barium titanate (BT) ceramic by sol-gel auto-combustion method. Then, a series of CERAM-1, CERAM-2, and CERAM-3 ceramic composites were formed by inserting into BT different types of ferrite and carbon nanotubes. The crystal structural analysis indicated that all ceramic composites crystallized into a cubic structure. The crystallite sizes of the final products were calculated and were found to be 30.8 nm, 25.4 nm, 35.9 nm, and 33.1 nm for pure BT, CERAM-1, CERAM-2, and CERAM-3, respectively. The gamma radiation shielding parameters were experimentally examined at four energies ranging from low to high energy radiation. At 0.06 MeV, the ceramics have the greatest linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) values, ranging from 31.760 to 29.683 cm−1. The results showed that CERAM-1 has the greatest LAC values at 0.060 and 0.662 MeV, which indicated that CERAM-1 is the most effective shield to its advantage over the other ceramic samples at low and middle energies. Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that various prepared ceramics can be useful for low-energy radiation protective applications.

New polyester composites synthesized with additions of different sized ZnO to study their shielding efficiency

This investigation developed a novel polyester composite based on the addition of zinc oxide (ZnO) of different sizes. We prepared nine samples Containing different percentages and sizes of ZnO as well as the control sample (Pol-ZnO0). The attenuation factors of Pol-micro ZnO were estimated using Phy-x software, while the HPGe detector and various gamma sources were used to experimentally measure the all-prepared composites. In terms of the two methods for micro composites, good agreement was observed. The linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) of Pol-ZnO20, Pol-ZnO40, and Pol-ZnO60, two more samples one with ZnO nanoparticles instead of microparticles, and the other with half microparticles and half nanoparticles (referenced as 0.5 M + 0.5 N) were determined. For all the Polyester composites and energies, the mixture of microparticles and nanoparticles had greater LAC values than each of the particles on their own. For example, the LAC values for the Pol-ZnO20 polymer at 1.330 MeV are 0.0836, 0.0888, and 0.0903 cm−1 for the microparticles, nanoparticles, and mixture, respectively. The values of the prepared polymer samples' radiation protection efficiency (RPE) against energy with a thickness of 2 cm was determined experimentally. The Pol-ZnO60 0.5 M + 0.5 N sample has the highest RPE out of all the samples, followed by its nanoparticle counterpart, and then its microparticle counterpart. On the other hand, the Pol-ZnO0 sample, the polymer with no ZnO content, at all energies has the lowest RPE, followed by the three Pol-ZnO20 samples.

Red-Mud, A Golden Waste for Radiation Shielding”: Red-Mud Polymer Composites for High-Performance Radiation-Shielding Components

Red mud (RM) is generated in huge quantities and holds the ability to form radiation shielding structures due to its metal oxide-rich composition. In this work, this metal oxide-rich waste is converted into X-ray shielding sheets via a solution-casting technique incorporating polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a binder which holds RM particles together. We show a successful fabrication of sheets employing varying wt.% of RM (60, 70, 80, and 90 wt.%). The linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) values have been compared to analyze what maximum RM wt.% can effectively shield diagnostic X-rays at energies of 60 kVp, 90 kVp, and 120 kVp. Structural characterizations of the fabricated samples have been examined through SEM, XRD, RAMAN, and FTIR. The LAC analysis revealed that 70 wt.% of RM with PVA binder yields highest radiation shielding. However, with increased wt.% of RM there is a catastrophic decrease in strength and shielding capability of the composite due to the formation of voids due to decreased wt.% of polymer binder. So, an innovative polymer-rich coating has been applied to RM composite having 90 wt.% of RM, which boosted the LAC and strength, but not more than RM composite having 70 or 80 wt.% of RM. The UV shielding analysis of best samples having 70 and 80 wt.% of RM was also analyzed to show the capability of RM in shielding UV along with X-ray.

Synthesis and characterizations of Ce-doped ZnO thin films for radiation shielding

In this research, different amounts of Ce-doped ZnO thin films were synthesized using the spray pyrolysis method. Structural, morphological and optical properties of these synthesized films were investigated. In XRD analyses, wurtzite (hexagonal) structures were observed in the films. In SEM analysis, there were changes in the surface morphology of the films with doping, and in cross-section measurement, the thickness of the films was measured to be approximately 1.2 μm. In UV–vis spectrometry analysis, it is seen that the effect of Cerium contribution on optical transmittance and band gap positively affects shielding. NaI(Tl) detector and gamma energies of 384, 1173, and 1333 keV have been used to investigate the radiation protection properties of these synthesized films. As a result of these measurements, linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) values have been obtained. Radiation shielding parameters have been calculated with these (LAC) values. The Mass Attenuation Coefficient (MAC), Half Value Layer (HVL), Tenth Value Layer TVL (and) Mean Free Path (MFP) values have been also calculated using this LAC result. According to these results, Ce-doped ZnO films were found to be effective in radiation shielding.

Thermal and radiation shielding characteristics of erbium ions doped zinc tellurite glasses

Tellurium, zinc, and erbium oxides glasses are made using the melt-quenching technique. The XRD results show that the glass samples are naturally amorphous. The TeO4 units' extended vibration are performed using FTIR. On the other hand, the TeO3 as well as Er2O3 are detected using deconvolution. When the concentration of erbium ions increases, the density and molar volume will also increase. The high value of thermal diffusivity at 0.02 and 0.03 M fractions, a large value of glass stability (greater than 100 °C), and strong thermal stability are excellent for fibre drawing. As a result, the highest linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) values are found for the sample with 5 mol% Er2O3 content, where the values drop suddenly from 0.95744 to 0.21065 cm−1 over the tested energy which ranges between 0.284 and 2.51 MeV. Among the TZEr samples, TZEr5 has the lowest half-value layer (HVL) values ranging from 0.00243 to 0.08252 cm. Thus, both LAC and HVL are considered as suitable options for radiation shielding materials.

Structural, optical, and shielding properties of lead borate glasses doped with copper oxide

Lead borate glasses of the system 25PbO-(75-x) B2O3-xCuO (x = 0, 0.025, 0.05, and 0.1) in mol.% were synthesized via the traditional melt quenching method abbreviated as (BPbCu0, BPbCu1, BPbCu2, and BPbCu3) respectively. XRD diffraction confirmed the amorphous nature of the samples. According to FTIR spectroscopy, the function groups (BO3 and BO4) and the fraction of boron tetrahedral units (N4) were determined. The density, molar volume, packing density, and some other physical parameters were calculated and discussed. The density was increased by incorporating CuO as a substitution for B2O3, while the molar volume was decreased. The ion concentrations of Cu, inter-nuclear distance, field strength, and polaron radius were also computed. The optical absorption study suggested that the copper ions exist in the Cu2+ and act as a modifier by increasing the disorder in the glass network. Hence, the present glass behaves as a bandpass filter in the UV–vis. region. The radiation shielding properties of the as-prepared samples were theoretically calculated using the Phy-X program at energies ranging from 0.015 to 1.5 MeV. The linear and mass attenuation coefficients, as well as the half-value layer (HVL) and exposure buildup factor (EBF), have been evaluated. The results revealed that shielding parameters are affected by CuO concentrations and photon energy. Based on the results presented in the manuscript, the glass sample with 0.1 mol% CuO doping (BPbCu3) showed the best properties overall for optical and radiation shielding applications. Specifically, BPbCu3 had the highest density, refractive index, optical dielectric constant, and radiation shielding parameters such as linear attenuation coefficient and half value layer among the glass samples. The addition of 0.1 mol% CuO introduced Cu2+ ions which acted as network modifiers, increasing the disorder in the glass structure. This in turn enhanced the optical bandgap as well as the shielding capabilities against gamma radiation.

Radiation shielding capability and exposure buildup factor of cerium(iv) oxide-reinforced polyester resins

Abstract The radiation shielding characteristics of the polyester resin composites reinforced with cerium(iv) oxide (CeO2) have been studied. The prepared composites were pure polyester–resin (Poly/CeO2-0), 90% per weight polyester resin and 10% CeO2 (Poly/CeO2-10), (Poly/CeO2-30), (Poly/CeO2-50), and (Poly/CeO2-60). The linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) values for the free polyester and polyester samples with CeO2 were experimentally measured compared with the XCOM data. The experimental LAC value was found to be 0.2377 cm−1 at 0.0595 MeV, which is in good agreement with the calculated value of 0.2454 cm−1. Also, for the same sample, the experimental LAC was found to be 0.1034 cm−1 at 0.662 MeV, showing a good agreement with the calculated value of 0.1057 cm−1. The LAC values for the free polyester, Pol/CeO2-30, and Pol/CeO2-60 are 1.43, 31.82, and 107.77 cm−1 at 0.015 MeV, respectively. The big difference in the LAC values between the composite with 0 and 60% CeO2 is evident. The radiation shielding efficiency (RSE) of the polyester with different amounts of CeO2 was experimentally measured at four energy values. Also, we extended the calculation of RSE at other energy values in the range of 0.015–15 MeV). The exposure buildup factor (EBF) values for the free CeO2 sample and the samples with CeO2 are calculated. The EBF is small at low energies, then increases, and attains a maximum value at moderate energy; the EBF shows a decreasing trend with an increase in the energy.

Structural, mechanical, optical, and radiation shielding properties for borotellurite glasses

In this work, six glass samples previously fabricated were used to prepare three glass systems by the melt-quench technique. X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared studied the structure of refabricated glasses. At the same time, the Makishima–Mackenzie model was used to assess the elastic moduli for refabricated glasses. The optical properties of refabricated glasses were calculated based on UV–Vis absorption. The radiation shielding features were evaluated based on the Phy-X and SRIM programs. The X-ray diffraction results exhibited the amorphous behavior for all refabricated glasses, while the Fourier transform infrared revealed several bands related to TeO2 and B2O3. The band gap values for TBBBSr, TBBBZn, and TBBBCd glasses are 3.439, 3.236, and 3.195 eV, respectively. The Young modulus values are 59.368, 57.843, and 56.358 GPa for TBBBSr, TBBBZn, and TBBBCd glasses, which indicate superior the TBBBSr glass sample on other glasses in mechanical properties. The mechanical, optical, and Fourier transform infrared results showed high compatibility. In contrast, the TBBBCd glass recorded the highest density and gamma-ray shielding properties; for example, the linear attenuation coefficient values at 15 MeV are 0.222 cm−1 for TBBBCd, 0.214 cm−1 for TBBBZn, and 0.188 cm−1 for TBBBSr. While, the TBBBZn glass showed the highest neutron shielding feature; for example, the fast neutron removal cross section is 0.088, 0.091, and 0.092 cm−1 for TBBBSr, TBBBZn, and TBBBCd, respectively. On the other hand, the TBBBSr displayed the highest shielding features for charged particles. In conclusion, the TBBBSr glass can be nominated for radiation shielding applications based on its superior mechanical properties and ability to stop charged particles.

Radiation Shielding Features of Glass Fiber Reinforced Cast Polyamide Using Phy-X/PSD and SRIM Software

The utilization of various materials for their nuclear radiation shielding properties has been the subject of a growing number of research and development projects. In this study, the radiation shielding characteristics of E-glass fiber reinforced cast polyamide were evaluated. E-glass is a form of glass fiber frequently utilized as a reinforcement in various composite materials to provide more durability, stiffness, and strength. Samples S1-S7 were defined according to various compositions of E-glass fiber contents (SiO2, Al2O3, B2O3, MgO, CaO, Na2O and K2O) and cast polyamide (C12H22N2O2). Within the energy range 0.015-15 MeV, the shielding parameters: Linear attenuation coefficient (LAC), mass attenuation coefficient (MAC), half and tenth value layers (HVL, TVL), mean free path (mfp), effective atomic number (Zeff), atomic and electronic cross sections (ACS, ECS), fast neutron removal cross-section (FNRCS) and exposure buildup factor (EBF) were analyzed. E-glass fiber reinforced cast polyamide S7 (70% glass fiber content) exhibited higher values of LAC, MAC and Zeff and lower values of HVL, TVL, and mfp proving it to be a better radiation shielding material among the samples. An abrupt reduction in values of Zeff was discerned within the photoelectric absorption-dominant region, contrasted with a stable trend within the Compton scattering-dominant region, and a marginal elevation was noted in the pair production region. The maximum and minimum values of FNRCS were observed for samples S1 (10% glass fiber content) and S5 (50% glass fiber content) respectively. Hence, S1 would be the most effective material in fast neutron shielding. At 35 mfp penetration depth, the minimum EBF values belonged to S7 in lower and intermediate regions (0.015-3 MeV) whereas S1 showed the minimum values at higher energy regions (4-15 MeV). Furthermore, the mass stopping power (MSP) and projected range (PR) of the samples for alpha and proton particles were determined using SRIM-2008 codes. S7 exhibited better shielding features for alpha and proton particles with lower values of mass stopping power and projected range. The reinforcement of glass fiber in the cast polyamide has been noticed to have a significant impact on the shielding performance of polymer composites.