Enhancement of the radiation shielding properties of lead-borate glass: the impacts of Sb2O3, Al2O3 and ZnO

Abstract

This study fabricated three glass series based on the 65B2O3–25PbO-10 M (M = Sb2O3, Al2O3, and ZnO) formula in order to examine the impacts of various metal oxides on the gamma-ray shielding and physical properties. The study showed that among the fabricated glasses, those with 10 mol% of ZnO have the highest density of 4.543 g/cm3, followed by glasses doped with Sb2O3 (4.502 g/cm3) and Al2O3 (4.377 g/cm3). Monte Carlo simulations were employed to estimate the radiation shielding properties of the fabricated glasses. The samples' linear attenuation coefficient (μ, cm−1) was reduced from 15.722 to 0.181 cm−1 (sample BPSb), from 11.051 to 0.178 cm−1 (sample BPAl), and from 12.098 to 0.184 cm−1 (sample BPZn) through a 0.059–2.506 MeV gamma photon energy increase, respectively. This LAC reduction is attributable to the density and electron density of the doping metal oxides, with an increase in the fabricated samples' half-value thickness also occurring, which at 0.059 MeV is 0.044 cm, 0.063 cm, and 0.057 cm for samples BPSb, BPAl, and BPZn, respectively. Meanwhile, an increase to 2.506 MeV leads the half-value thickness to rise to 3.831 cm, 3.902 cm, and 3.758 cm. The study showed that the fabricated glasses, especially BPAl and BPSb glasses, have better shielding properties against low and intermediate gamma-photons.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬