• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.687-695
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• 2022

To find a 3D printer material that can replace lead used as a shield for high-energy electron beam treatment, the shielding composites were simulated by using MCNP6 programs. The Percent Depth Dose (PDD), Flatness, and Symmetry of linear accelerators emitting high-energy electron beams were measured, and the linear accelerator was compared with MCNP6 after simulation, confirming that the source term between the actual measurement and simulation was consistent. By simulating the lead shield, the appropriate thickness of the lead shield capable of shielding 95% or more of the absorbed dose was selected. Based on the absorption dose data for lead shield with a thickness of 3 mm, the shielding performance was analyzed by simulating 1, 5, 10, and 15 mm thicknesses of ABS+W (10%), ABS+Bi (10%), and PLA+Fe (10%). Each prototype was manufactured with a 3D printer, measured and analyzed under the same conditions as in the simulation, and found that when ABS+W (10%) material was formed to have a thickness of at least 10mm, it had a shielding performance that could replace lead with a thickness of 3mm. The surface morphology and atomic composition of the ABS+W (10%) material were evaluated using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS). From these results, it was confirmed that replacing the commercialized lead shield with ABS+W (10%) material not only produces a shielding effect such as lead, but also can be customized to patients using a 3D printer, which can be very useful for high-energy electron beam treatment.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.216-223
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• 2017

In this work, linear and mass attenuation coefficients, effective atomic number and electron density, mean free paths, and half value layer and $10^{th}$ value layer values of barium-bismuth-borosilicate glasses were obtained for 662 keV, 1,173 keV, and 1,332 keV gamma ray energies using MCNP-4C code and XCOM program. Then obtained data were compared with available experimental data. The MCNP-4C code and XCOM program results were in good agreement with the experimental data. Barium-bismuth-borosilicate glasses have good gamma ray shielding properties from the shielding point of view.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.1230-1236
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• 2016

This study aims to determine the effect of fly ash with a high replacing ratio of clay on the radiation shielding properties of bricks. Some interaction parameters (mass attenuation coefficients, half value layer, effective atomic number, effective electron density, and absorption efficiency) of clay fly ash bricks were measured with a NaI(Tl) detector at 661.6 keV, 1,173.2 keV, and 1,332.5 keV. For the investigation of their shielding behavior, fly ash bricks were molded using an admixture to clay. A narrow beam transmission geometry condition was used for the measurements. The measured values of these parameters were found in good agreement with the theoretical calculations. The elemental compositions of the clay fly ash bricks were analyzed by using an energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. At selected energies the values of the effective atomic numbers and effective electron densities showed a very modest variation with the composition of the fly ash. This seems to be due to the similarity of their elemental compositions. The obtained results were also compared with concrete, in order to study the effect of fly ash content on the radiation shielding properties of clay fly ash bricks. The clay fly ash bricks showed good shielding properties for moderate energy gamma rays. Therefore, these bricks are feasible and eco-friendly compared with traditional clay bricks used for construction.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.7
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• pp.2613-2620
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• 2023

Excellent thermal neutron absorption performance of boron expands the potential use of boron rich slag to prepare epoxy resin matrix nuclear shielding composites. However, shielding attenuation behaviors and mechanism of the composites against gamma rays are unclear. Based on the radiation protection theory, Phy-X/PSD, XCOM, and ⁶⁰Co gamma ray source were integrated to obtain the shielding parameters of boron rich slag/epoxy resin composites at 0.015-15 MeV, which include mass attenuation coefficient (µ_t), linear attenuation coefficient (µ), half value thickness layer (HVL), electron density (N_eff), effective atomic number (Z_eff), exposure buildup factor (EBF) and exposure absorption buildup factor (EABF).µ_t, µ, HVL, N_eff, Z_eff, EBF and EABF are 0.02-7 cm²/g, 0.04-17 cm^-1, 0.045-20 cm, 5-14, 3 × 10²³-8 × 10²³ electron/g, 0-2000, and 0-3500. Shielding performance is BS4, BS3, BS3, BS1 in descending order, but worse than ordinary concrete. µ and HVL of BS1-BS4 for ⁶⁰Co gamma ray is 0.095-0.110 cm^-1 and 6.3-7.2 cm. Shielding mechanism is main interactions for attenuation gamma ray by BS1-BS4 are elements with higher content or higher atomic number via Photoelectric Absorption at low energy range, and elements with higher content via Compton Scattering and Pair Production in Nuclear Field at middle and higher energy range.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.785-794
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• 2016

The Argonne National Laboratory of the United States and the Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology of the Ukraine have been collaborating on the design, development and construction of a neutron source facility at Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology utilizing an electron-accelerator-driven subcritical assembly. The electron beam power is 100 kW using 100-MeV electrons. The facility was designed to perform basic and applied nuclear research, produce medical isotopes, and train nuclear specialists. The biological shield of the accelerator building was designed to reduce the biological dose to less than 5.0e-03 mSv/h during operation. The main source of the biological dose for the accelerator building is the photons and neutrons generated from different interactions of leaked electrons from the electron gun and the accelerator sections with the surrounding components and materials. The Monte Carlo N-particle extended code (MCNPX) was used for the shielding calculations because of its capability to perform electron-, photon-, and neutron-coupled transport simulations. The photon dose was tallied using the MCNPX calculation, starting with the leaked electrons. However, it is difficult to accurately tally the neutron dose directly from the leaked electrons. The neutron yield per electron from the interactions with the surrounding components is very small, ~0.01 neutron for 100-MeV electron and even smaller for lower-energy electrons. This causes difficulties for the Monte Carlo analyses and consumes tremendous computation resources for tallying the neutron dose outside the shield boundary with an acceptable accuracy. To avoid these difficulties, the SOURCE and TALLYX user subroutines of MCNPX were utilized for this study. The generated neutrons were banked, together with all related parameters, for a subsequent MCNPX calculation to obtain the neutron dose. The weight windows variance reduction technique was also utilized for both neutron and photon dose calculations. Two shielding materials, heavy concrete and ordinary concrete, were considered for the shield design. The main goal is to maintain the total dose outside the shield boundary less than 5.0e-03 mSv/h during operation. The shield configuration and parameters of the accelerator building were determined and are presented in this paper.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.10
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• pp.3855-3863
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• 2022

An evaluation of the radiation shielding performance of high-Z-particle-loaded polylactic acid (PLA) composite materials was pursued. Specimens were produced via fused deposition modeling (FDM) using copper-PLA, steel-PLA, and BaSO₄-PLA composite filaments containing 82.7, 75.2, and 44.6 wt% particulate phase contents, respectively, and were tested under broad-band flash x-ray conditions at the Sandia National Laboratories HERMES III facility. The experimental results for the mass attenuation coefficients of the composites were found to be in good agreement with GEANT4 simulations carried out using the same exposure conditions and an atomistic mixture as a model for the composite materials. Further simulation studies, focusing on the Cu-PLA composite system, were used to explore a shield design parameter space (in this case, defined by Cu-particle loading and shield areal density) to assess performance under both high-energy photon and electron fluxes over an incident energy range of 0.5-15 MeV. Based on these results, a method is proposed that can assist in the visualization and isolation of shield parameter coordinate sets that optimize performance under targeted radiation characteristics (type, energy). For electron flux shielding, an empirical relationship was found between areal density (AD), electron energy (E), composition and performance. In cases where ${\frac{E}{AD}}{\geq}2MeV{\bullet}cm{\bullet}g^{-1}$, a shield composed of >85 wt% Cu results in optimal performance. In contrast, a shield composed of <10 wt% Cu is anticipated to perform best against electron irradiation when ${\frac{E}{AD}}<2MeV{\bullet}cm{\bullet}g^{-1}$.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.8
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• pp.1758-1771
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• 2017

In this study, to determine the most effective alloy for shielding against gamma-rays, the gamma-ray shielding parameters of six types of cerrobend alloys have been investigated. Gamma-ray interaction with the cerrobend alloys has been discussed mainly in terms of total mass attenuation coefficient (${\mu}_t$), half value layer (HVL), tenth value layer (TVL), effective atomic number ($Z_{eff}$), and effective electron density ($N_{eff}$). These parameters have been calculated by theoretical approach using the ParShield program in a photon energy range between 0.1 MeV and 100 GeV. The dependence of these parameters on the incident photon energy and chemical composition of the cerrobend alloys has been studied.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.57-65
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• 1997

A study was undertaken to determine the influence of welding variables such as shielding and plasma gases, torch standoff, travel speed and heat input, etc. on the quality of plasma arc welds in Zircaloy-4 sheet, 2mm thick. Effect of shielding gases and their flow rates on the mechanical properties of Zircaloy-4 welds by plasma arc welding were determined in terms of tensile, bardness and bend tests. The microstructure and fracture surface of Zircaloy-4 welds were investigated by optical and scanning electron microscopies. In addition, the causes of porosity and undercut in plasma arc welds of Zircaloy-4 were also investigated. Zircaloy-4 weld bead width and depth by helium shielding gas showed a wider and deeper than those by argon. It was found that Zircaloy-4 welds with shielding gas of helium did dxhibit a little smoother and uniform weld beads than those with shielding gas of argon. It was also found that the optimum gas flow rates for Zircaloy-4 welding were 0.45l/min for plasma gas with Ar and 4.5 - 6 l/min for shielding gas with He. In addition, there was no big difference in the microstructure and fracture surface of the weld metals made by either Ar shielding gas or He shielding gas.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.40-45
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• 1997

When therapeutic irradiation is indicated for the orbital tumors, the greatest concern is the risk of radiation-induced cataract. Conjunctival lymphoma is one of the good examples. We would like to report the procedure of the lens shielding device(L.S.D) and the result of irradiated dose to the lens. L.S.D. consistes of two parts : load alloy to attenuate electron beam, and dental acryl which completely covers the lead alloy to avoid discomfort of cornea from contacting directly with cerrobend and side scattering by cerrobend. And for easy location and removal, side bars were made on each side. Radiation doses were meaured with TLD(TLD 3500 Hawshaw). Markus chamber in a polystyrene phantom. The phantom was irradiated with 9MeV electron beams from Clinac 2100C with $6{\times}6cm$ electron cone. The relative dose at 6mm depth where the lens is located was $4.2\%$ with TLD and $5.1\%$ with Markus chamber clinically when 2600 cGy are irradiated to the eyeball, the mapinary dose to the lens will be 109 cGy or 132 cGy, which will significently reduce the cataract.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2023

As 3D printing technology is used in the medical field, interest in metal materials is increasing. The Department of Radiation Oncology uses a shielding block to shield the patient's normal tissue from unnecessary exposure during electron beam therapy. However, problems such as handling of heavy metal materials such as lead and cadmium, reproducibility according to skill level and uncertainty of arrangement have been reported. In this study, candidate materials that can be used for metal 3D printing are selected, and the physical properties and radiation dose of each material are analyzed to develop a customized shielding block that can be used in electron beam therapy. As candidate materials, aluminum alloy (d = 2.68 g/cm³), titanium alloy (d = 4.42 g/cm³), and cobalt chromium alloy (d = 8.3 g/cm³) were selected. The thickness of the 95% shielding rate point was derived using the Monte Carlo Simulation with the irradiation surface and 6, 9, 12, and 16 energies. As a result of the simulation, among the metal 3D printing materials, cobalt chromium alloy (d = 8.3 g/cm³) was similar to the existing shielding block (d = 9.4 g/cm³) in shielding thickness for each energy. In a follow-on study, it is necessary to evaluate the usefulness in clinical practice using customized shielding blocks made by metal 3D printing and to verify experiments through various radiation treatment plan conditions.