Nuclear and radiation shielding performance of synthesized geopolymers with addition of CRT waste glass composites

Abstract

The use of geopolymers (GPs) is a sustainable way of providing cheaper concrete binders for buildings. In an attempt to improve the physical, microstructural, and radiation protection properties of new geopolymers and find an environmentally safe way of reusing cathode ray tube (CRT) waste glass, a composition of G and CRT glass was prepared and studied. The CRT glass-infused geopolymer samples were prepared using the powder metallurgy process. The concentrations of CRT glass in the doped G were 0, 10, 20, and 30 wt %, where the samples are coded as G, G-10CRT, G-20CRT, and G-30CRT, respectively. The density of increased with CRT doping from 1.86 g/cm³ to 2.34 g/cm³. XRD spectra of the samples showed well-defined peaks which elucidates the presence of crystal phases. The CRT-free G sample revealed that Si, O, Na and Al were the main elements. On the other hand, the concentrations of heavy Z-elements (such as Pb, Ba and Sr) increased with CRT glass content. The (mass) stopping powers ($S_p$) of β-particles were in the range 1.56–13.71 MeVcm²/g for G, 1.55–12.9 MeVcm²/g for G-10CRT, 1,53–12.67 MeVcm²/g for G-20CRT, and 1.52–12.44 MeVcm²/g for G-30CRT. The ranges of the charged particles followed the order: G > G-10CRT > G-20CRT > G-30CRT. The values of the fast neutron removal cross-section for G, G-10CRT, G-20CRT and G-30CRT were 0.0650 cm⁻¹ for G, 0.0706 cm⁻¹ for G-10CRT, 0.0743 cm⁻¹ for G-20CRT, and 0.0748 cm⁻¹ for G-30CRT. The introduction of CRT glass into G also increased the thermal neutron absorption cross-section of the geopolymers.