Sodium metaphosphate-tungsten trioxide glasses: a characterization study on gamma-ray shielding properties and transmission factors (TFs)

Abstract

In the present study, gamma-ray attenuation properties as well as transmission factor values of high-density sodium metaphosphate-tungsten trioxide glasses with chemical composition of (40−x)NaPO₃−xWO₃-60Sb₂O₃: (x = 0 (S1), 5 (S2), 10 (S3), 15 (S4), 20 (S5), 30 (S6), and 40 (S7) mol%) have been investigated. MCNPX general purpose Monte Carlo code and Phy-X/PSD program were utilized for the calculation of transmission factor values and fundamental gamma-ray shielding parameters. Our findings suggest that the S7 sample (with the highest WO₃ content mole%) has possessed the maximum mass attenuation coefficients (μ_m) at all gamma-ray energies investigated. In terms of half value layer (HVL) and mean free path (MFP), the coded glass sample S7 has achieved the minimum values. The effective atomic number (Z_eff) and equivalent atomic number (Z_eq) of the investigated glasses have the same trend of mass attenuation coefficient. The raising of WO₃ content in mole% in glasses leads to reducing both exposure and absorption buildup factor values for all mean free path values. The minimum transmission factor (maximum attenuation) quantities were verified at a thickness of 3 cm for all investigated glasses. It can be concluded that the S7 sample exhibits superior radiation shielding characteristics.