Effect of bismuth oxide on the gamma-ray shielding properties of phosphate glass P2O5-Bi2O3-Na2SO4-ZnO in the energy range (0.1–3 MeV)

Abstract

In this paper, the gamma radiation attenuation parameters were calculated using Phy-X/PSD for a prepared quaternary system of phosphate glass (95-x)P₂O₅-xBi₂O₃-3Na₂SO₄-2ZnO, where (x = 30, 40, and 50 mol%). In addition, the attenuation interactions were calculated using the X-Com program, as all these calculations were done in the range of energies (0.1–3 MeV). The results showed that the S3 sample had the highest value of the mass attenuation coefficient up to the energy value of 0.8261 MeV, after which the values of the three investigated samples were approximately equal. The S3 sample also has the lowest value for a half value layer during the measured range of energy. The results also showed that the photoelectric effect interaction is the largest contributor to the attenuation process at the first three energies (0.1, 0.15, and 0.2 MeV), and at energy values ​​with 0.3–3 MeV, the Compton effect becomes the largest contributor to the attenuation process. The contribution of the pair production effect interaction begins to appear at the energy 1.025 MeV, and its contribution to the gamma ray attenuation process increases gradually in association with the Compton effect interaction until the value of 3 MeV.