• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.48 no.4
• /
• pp.184-196
• /
• 2023

Background: Radiation protection is crucial in various fields due to the harmful effects of radiation. Shielding is used to reduce radiation exposure, but gamma radiation poses challenges due to its high energy and penetration capabilities. Materials and Methods: This work investigates the radiation shielding properties of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) samples containing different weight fraction of tungsten carbide (WC), tungsten trioxide (WO₃), and tungsten disulfide (WS₂). Parameters such as the mass attenuation coefficient (MAC), half-value layer (HVL), mean free path (MFP), effective atomic number (Z_eff), and macroscopic effective removal cross-section for fast neutrons (Σ_R) were calculated using the Phy-X/PSD software. EpiXS simulations were conducted for MAC validation. Results and Discussion: Increasing the weight fraction of the additives resulted in higher MAC values, indicating improved radiation shielding. PVDF-xWC showed the highest percentage increase in MAC values. MFP results indicated that PVDF-0.20WC has the lowest values, suggesting superior shielding properties compared to PVDF-0.20WO₃ and PVDF-0.20WS₂. PVDF-0.20WC also exhibited the highest Z_eff values, while PVDF-0.20WS₂ showed a slightly higher increase in Z_eff at energies of 0.662 and 1.333 MeV. PVDF-0.20WC has demonstrated the highest Σ_R value, indicating effective shielding against fast neutrons, while PVDF-0.20WS₂ had the lowest Σ_R value. The Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport version 5 (MCNP5) simulations showed that PVDF-xWC attenuates gamma radiation more than pure PVDF, significantly decreasing the dose equivalent rate. Conclusion: Overall, this research provides insights into the radiation shielding properties of PVDF mixtures, with PVDF-xWC showing the most promising results.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.55 no.4
• /
• pp.1218-1224
• /
• 2023

We investigated the radiation shielding competence for TeO₂-V₂O₅-MoO₃ glasses. The Phy-X software was used to report the radiation shielding parameters for the present glasses. With an increase in TeO₂ and MoO₃ content, the samples' linear attenuation coefficient improves. However, at low energies, this change is more apparent. At low energy, the present samples have an effective atomic number (Z_eff) that is relatively high (in order of 16.17-24.48 at 0.347 MeV). In addition, the findings demonstrated that the density of the samples is a very critical factor in determining the half value layer (HVL). The minimal HVL for each sample can be found at 0.347 MeV and corresponds to 1.776, 1.519, 1.391, 1.210 and 1.167 cm for Te1 to Te5 respectively. However, the highest HVL of these glasses is recorded at 1.33 MeV, which corresponds to 3.773, 3.365, 3.218, 2.925 and 2.908 cm respectively. The tenth value layer results indicate that the thickness of the specimens needs to be increased in order to shield the photons that have a greater energy. Also, the TVL results demonstrated that the sample with the greatest TeO₂ and MoO₃ concentration has a higher capacity to attenuate photons.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.54 no.10
• /
• pp.3841-3848
• /
• 2022

The effect of modifiers on the optical features and radiation defying ability of the Eu³⁺ ions doped multi constituent glasses was examined. XRD has established the amorphous nature of the specimen. The presence of various functional/fundamental groups in the present glasses was analyzed through FTIR spectra. The physical, structural and elastic traits of the glasses were explored. The variation in the structural compactness of the glass structure according to the incorporated modifier was enlightened to describe their suitability for a better shielding media. For the examined glasses, the metallization criterion value varied in the range 0.613-0.692, indicating the non-metallic character of the glasses with possible nonlinear optical applications. The computed elastic moduli expose the Li-containing glass (BTLi:Eu) to be tightly packed and rigid, which is a requirement for a better shielding channel. Furthermore, the optical bandgap and the Urbach energy values are calculated based on the optical absorption spectra. The evaluated bonding parameters revealed the nature of the fabricated glasses covalent. In addition, we investigated the radiation attenuation attributes of the prepared Eu³⁺ ions doped multi constituent glasses using Phy-X software. We determined the linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) and reported the influence of the five oxides Li₂O₃, CaO, BaO, SrO, and ZnO on the LAC values. The LAC varied between 0.433 and 0.549 cm^-1 at 0.284 MeV. The 39B₂O₃-25TeO₂-15Li₂O₃-10Na₂O-10K₂O-1Eu₂O₃ glass has a much smaller LAC than the other glasses.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.56 no.7
• /
• pp.2828-2834
• /
• 2024

This research intends to recycle bone and incorporate it into concrete for radiation shielding application using Phy-X/PSD software. Cement, sand and granite were mixed in proportion of 0.5 kg:1 kg:1 kg to obtain sample A. Other concretes composing of cement, sand, granite and bone ash was in proportion 0.45 kg:1 kg:1 kg:0.05 kg, 0.1 kg:1 kg:1 kg:0.4 kg and 0.35 kg:1 kg:1 kg:0.15 kg to obtain samples B, C and D respectively. 0.5 water-to-cement (W/C) ratio was adopted throughout the mixes because the control mix contain the normal water quantity for normal hydration of cement. Replacing the bone ash for the cement in the fabricated concretes enhances their densities where the fabricated concretes' density decreased from 2.33 g/cm³ to 2.22 g/cm³ by raising the reinforcing bones fly ash concentration from 0 to 0.15 kg. Additionally, increasing the bones fly ash concentration within the fabricated concretes increases their linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) where the fabricated concretes' μ values at 0.662 MeV reach 0.181 cm^-1, 0.178 cm^-1, 0.174 cm^-1, and 0.171 cm^-1, respectively for concretes A, B, C, and D. The use of other local materials is recommended, as it improves waste management being the major aim of the sustainable development goal.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.56 no.7
• /
• pp.2821-2827
• /
• 2024

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.