{"title":"Radiation shielding effectiveness of hafnium diboride-epoxy composites using MCNP simulation","authors":"Randolph Snook, Furkan Erdogan, Jessika Rojas, Braden Goddard","doi":"10.1016/j.radphyschem.2025.113277","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.radphyschem.2025.113277","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study evaluates the radiation shielding performance of hafnium diboride (HfB<sub>2</sub>) reinforced epoxy composites using Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) simulations. Composites with varying HfB<sub>2</sub> weight percentages and thicknesses were analyzed to assess their effectiveness against both gamma and neutron radiation. Model validation was performed using a <sup>152</sup>Eu gamma source and a <sup>241</sup>AmBe neutron source, showing strong agreement with previously published experimental data, within 3 % accuracy for gamma and 14 % for neutron measurements. The shielding performance of the HfB<sub>2</sub> epoxy composites was also compared to conventional materials, including lead, pure epoxy and borated high-density polyethylene. Further simulations using combined gamma/neutron sources, specifically <sup>241</sup>AmLi and <sup>238</sup>PuO<sub>2</sub>, confirmed the dual shielding capability of the composites. Results indicate that HfB<sub>2</sub> epoxy composites offer effective attenuation, performing comparably to commercial shielding materials while providing a balanced, non-toxic solution for dual-radiation environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20861,"journal":{"name":"Radiation Physics and Chemistry","volume":"239 ","pages":"Article 113277"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144988995","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abdurrahman Tünay , Mehmet Toptaş , Fahrettin Fatih Kesmezacar , Duygu Tunçman Kayaokay , Osman Günay , Songül Karaçam , Didem Çolpan Öksüz , Mustafa Demir , Ghada ALMisned , H.O. Tekin
{"title":"Radiation dose assessment to abdominal and pelvic organs in fluoroscopy-guided lumbar epidural steroid injections: A phantom-based analysis","authors":"Abdurrahman Tünay , Mehmet Toptaş , Fahrettin Fatih Kesmezacar , Duygu Tunçman Kayaokay , Osman Günay , Songül Karaçam , Didem Çolpan Öksüz , Mustafa Demir , Ghada ALMisned , H.O. Tekin","doi":"10.1016/j.radphyschem.2025.113272","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.radphyschem.2025.113272","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aims to quantify organ-specific radiation doses during transforaminal lumbar epidural steroid injections (ESI) performed under C-arm fluoroscopic guidance using a phantom-based experimental setup. An Alderson Rando anthropomorphic phantom was used to simulate the human anatomy. A total of 32 MTS-100 thermoluminescent dosimeters (LiF:Mg,Ti) were placed at predefined anatomical sites representing abdominal and pelvic organs. Fluoroscopy was conducted using a Siemens Artis Zee system with standard clinical protocols at gantry angles of 0°, 45°, and 180°. The absorbed doses were measured, and organ-specific distributions were analysed. The highest radiation doses were recorded in the left kidney, pancreas, and spleen. Reproductive organs such as the upper ovaries and uterus also received moderate exposure, while the bladder and medulla spinalis received the lowest doses. It can be concluded that even the fluoroscopic beam is localized to the lumbar spine, scattered radiation can result in significant exposure to critical organs, which underlines the importance of optimized imaging protocols and targeted radiation protection measures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20861,"journal":{"name":"Radiation Physics and Chemistry","volume":"239 ","pages":"Article 113272"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144917774","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Evaluation of gamma radiation-induced corrosion depth of Cu canister in high-efficiency deep geological repository system for CANDU spent nuclear fuel","authors":"Nakkyu Chae, Seungjin Seo, Jin-Seop Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.radphyschem.2025.113267","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.radphyschem.2025.113267","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study presents a model for predicting the gamma radiation-induced corrosion depth of copper (Cu) canisters intended for deep geological repositories. Three predictive methods were implemented and validated against data from the existing literature. The methods were then used to evaluate copper canisters designed for CANDU spent nuclear fuel of varying thicknesses (3, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 mm) at pH levels of 7, 8, 9, and 10. The results indicate that while all tested thicknesses demonstrate sufficient resistance to radiation-induced corrosion, the 3 mm canister warrants caution due to a projected corrosion depth of approximately 8 % of its total thickness. Furthermore, the study finds that the influence of the hydroxyl radical (OH·) on long-term corrosion may be negligible over a one-million-year period under the studied conditions. This suggests that future gamma radiation-induced corrosion models may be simplified.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20861,"journal":{"name":"Radiation Physics and Chemistry","volume":"239 ","pages":"Article 113267"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144917773","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Tailoring the work-function of ZnO sol-gel derived ZnO films using electron beam irradiation for flexible organic solar cells","authors":"Seung-Hwan Oh, Jin-Mun Yun, Hyun Bin Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.radphyschem.2025.113268","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.radphyschem.2025.113268","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the use of electron beam (EB) irradiation to tune the work-function of ZnO films prepared from EB-irradiated ZnO sol-gel solution for application as electron transporting layers (ETLs) in flexible organic solar cells (OSCs) fabricated on PEN/ITO substrates. ZnO precursor solutions were irradiated at doses from 100 to 500 kGy under nitrogen-purged, vacuum-sealed conditions using a 10 MeV electron accelerator. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) revealed that EB irradiation in the range between 100 and 300 kGy reduced the ZnO work function from 4.06 eV (0 kGy) to 2.78 eV (500 kGy), allowing optimal alignment with the PC<sub>71</sub>BM LUMO (∼3.9 eV). Surface characterization by atomic force microscopy (AFM) confirmed roughness was reduced at intermediate doses, while X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed a decrease in hydroxyl species and stabilized lattice oxygen, indicating defect passivation. Flexible OSC devices incorporating the ZnO film prepared from EB-irradiated ZnO sol-gel solution exhibited improved fill factors from 55.72 % at 0 kGy to 60.47 % at 300kGy and increased power conversion efficiencies from 7.61 % to 8.13 %. These results demonstrate that EB irradiation effectively tailors the electronic and interfacial properties of ZnO ETLs, enabling enhanced charge extraction and scalable low-temperature processing for flexible photovoltaics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20861,"journal":{"name":"Radiation Physics and Chemistry","volume":"239 ","pages":"Article 113268"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144996313","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Burnable absorbers in pebble-bed high-temperature reactor designs","authors":"Radek Škoda, Martin Lovecký, Jiří Závorka","doi":"10.1016/j.radphyschem.2025.113269","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.radphyschem.2025.113269","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pebble-bed high-temperature reactors (HTRs) that operate with an OTTO (Once-Through-Then-Out) fuel cycle face challenges such as strong initial reactivity excess and axial power peaking, which can compromise safety margins. This study evaluates the integration of burnable absorbers (BAs) directly into TRISO particle coatings as a strategy for controlling reactivity and flattening power distribution. A comprehensive neutronic analysis was performed using the Serpent 2 Monte Carlo code, which explicitly modeled the double heterogeneity of pebble fuel. All elements with natural abundance were screened and categorized based on their required mass loading and depletion behavior. At the pebble level, boron, indium, and gold provided significant initial reactivity suppression with stable burnup characteristics, while lithium and europium were effective for long-term reactivity control. At the core level, erbium, boron, iridium, mercury, and protactinium were successful in reducing axial and pebble-level power peaking, effectively shifting the axial maximum downward. The results demonstrate that optimized configurations of burnable absorbers can both control reactivity and improve power distribution in OTTO-cycle HTRs, offering a practical approach to designing safer and more efficient reactors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20861,"journal":{"name":"Radiation Physics and Chemistry","volume":"239 ","pages":"Article 113269"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144922529","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Exploration of natural radioactivity and radiological hazards due to radioisotopes in some marble commercially sold in Türkiye","authors":"Serdar Dizman","doi":"10.1016/j.radphyschem.2025.113262","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.radphyschem.2025.113262","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Natural stones have been the most important material used in both the building sector and art since ancient times. One of the natural stones frequently used in human life is marble. Natural stones contain various concentrations of natural radionuclides due to their underground origin. Therefore, it is critical to determine the radioactivity in natural stones, which are indispensable for human life. In this context, the levels of natural radioactivity (<sup>226</sup>Ra, <sup>232</sup>Th and <sup>40</sup>K) in commercial marbles collected from different regions of Türkiye were determined, and potential radiological hazards were evaluated. The natural radioactivity levels in the marble samples were measured using high-purity germanium detector system (HPGe). The radioactivity concentrations of <sup>226</sup>Ra, <sup>232</sup>Th and <sup>40</sup>K in the marble samples range from 0.38 ± 0.11 to 63.38 ± 2.13 Bq/kg for <sup>226</sup>Ra, from 3.67 ± 1.30 to 112.20 ± 3.36 Bq/kg for <sup>232</sup>Th, and from 8.13 ± 2.21 to 961.06 ± 17.36 Bq/kg for <sup>40</sup>K. Also, some radiological hazard parameters (Ra<sub>eq</sub>, H<sub>ex</sub>, I<sub>γ</sub>, ADR, AED and CR) for marble samples were calculated and evaluated. Based on the results obtained, this study indicates that the marble samples examined can be used safely in construction and will not create a significant radiological hazard when used anywhere.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20861,"journal":{"name":"Radiation Physics and Chemistry","volume":"239 ","pages":"Article 113262"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144907338","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"DFT study on radon adsorption by graphene oxide quantum dots from optically radioactive environment, using three organic functional groups: a new approach to wastewater treatment","authors":"Mayeen Uddin Khandaker , Yahaya Saadu Itas , Ali El-Rayyes , Faiza Benabdallah","doi":"10.1016/j.radphyschem.2025.113259","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.radphyschem.2025.113259","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this work, we investigated the <sup>222</sup>Rn capture capacity of silica (SiO<sub>2</sub>), carboxyl (COOH) and carbonyl functionalized graphene oxide quantum dots (GQDs) using density functional theory. Optimization and calculations of all properties of the systems were achieved using Gaussian 09. Analysis of the frontier orbitals revealed full participation of C and O atoms for successful <sup>222</sup>Rn adsorption. The largest charge transfer was attributed to COOH groups, with HOMO-LUMO gap of 9.46 eV. Based on the natural bond orbital (NBO) calculations, presence of highest value of orbital energy indicated that the adsorption process includes all the core and valence natural atomic orbitals (NAOs). Results from IR, Raman and UV–Vis analysis revealed well adsorption of radon in the UV and IR regions corresponding to characteristic adsorption by covalent compounds. Although all the systems were found worthy for <sup>222</sup>Rn adsorption; out of the three functional groups, it was found that the carboxyl groups demonstrated versatile binding capacity than silica and carbonyl groups, hence provided better radon adsorption. Finally, results obtained from this research are essential for ensuring clean water for domestic use.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20861,"journal":{"name":"Radiation Physics and Chemistry","volume":"239 ","pages":"Article 113259"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144907337","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Helical X-ray tube trajectory estimation via image noise analysis for enhanced CT dosimetry","authors":"Tatsuya Maeda , Kazuki Takegami , Sota Goto , Takashi Asahara , Daiki Kobayashi , Rina Nishigami , Natsumi Kimoto , Kazuta Yamashita , Kosaku Higashino , Shinichi Morimoto , Takeshi Konishi , Motochika Maki , Hiroaki Hayashi","doi":"10.1016/j.radphyschem.2025.113260","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.radphyschem.2025.113260","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Information on the helical trajectory of the X-ray tube is necessary for accurate dose evaluation during computed tomography (CT). We aimed to propose a methodology for analyzing the trajectory of the X-ray tube. The novelty of this paper is that the incident direction of X-rays is estimated from the standard deviation (SD) distribution. The X-ray incident direction for each slice was analyzed using a distribution function of SD values, in which the analysis regions were placed in the air region. Then, the helical trajectory of the CT scan was estimated by fitting a three-dimensional helical function to the analyzed data. The robustness of our algorithm was verified through phantom studies: the analyzed X-ray incident directions were compared with instrumental log data, in which cylindrical polyoxymethylene resin phantoms and a whole-body phantom were scanned. Chest CT scanning was mimicked, in which the field of view (FOV) was set at the lung region. The procedure for analyzing the X-ray incident direction was applicable to cylindrical phantoms regardless of the phantom size. In contrast, in the case of the whole-body phantom, although it was possible to apply our procedure to the chest and abdomen regions, the shoulder slices were inappropriate to analyze. Therefore, the helical trajectory was determined based on chest and abdominal CT images. The accuracy in X-ray incident direction analysis was evaluated to be 7.5°. In conclusion, we have developed an algorithm to estimate a three-dimensional helical trajectory that can be used for dose measurements and simulations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20861,"journal":{"name":"Radiation Physics and Chemistry","volume":"239 ","pages":"Article 113260"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144911676","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Optically stimulated dosimeters for small field audits in radiotherapy","authors":"E.F. Granados-Sánchez , J.M. Lárraga-Gutiérrez , O.A. García-Garduño","doi":"10.1016/j.radphyschem.2025.113261","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.radphyschem.2025.113261","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dosimetry audits play a vital role in ensuring precision and accuracy in radiation therapy. Most existing protocols for these audits are designed for conventional radiation fields using luminescent radiation detectors. This study aims to broaden the application of optically stimulated luminescent dosimeters by developing an audit protocol that employs nanodots® for non-conventional and small photon fields. To achieve this, the audit focused on field sizes ranging from 1.0 cm × 1.0 cm–10.0 cm × 10.0 cm. Monte Carlo simulations analyzed the behavior of nanodots® by considering important factors such as material density, partial volume averaging effects, detector geometry, and detector positioning during irradiation. External radiotherapy centers volunteered to help validate this protocol by conducting experimental measurements. The results show that using nanodots® in non-conventional or small fields provides reliable measurements within 5 % for field sizes down to 1.0 × 1.0 cm. We do not recommend using fields smaller than 1.0 × 1.0 cm because various issues may compromise measurement reliability. Density and volume averaging effects as perturbation factors can lead to measurement deviations of up to 12 %. Significant deviations also occur with very slight displacements in detector positioning, reaching up to 31 % for a 2 mm displacement.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20861,"journal":{"name":"Radiation Physics and Chemistry","volume":"239 ","pages":"Article 113261"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144911677","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M.H. Hanafi, N. Mohd Noor, S.H. Ramli, F.F. Ahmad Saad, F. Mohamed, M. Musarudin
{"title":"Comparative evaluation of 3D-printed and ACR vials for PET/CT QA: SUV and heterogeneity analysis","authors":"M.H. Hanafi, N. Mohd Noor, S.H. Ramli, F.F. Ahmad Saad, F. Mohamed, M. Musarudin","doi":"10.1016/j.radphyschem.2025.113264","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radphyschem.2025.113264","url":null,"abstract":"This study evaluates the performance of 3D-printed vials as alternatives to standardized American College of Radiology (ACR) phantoms for PET/CT quality assurance using standardized uptake values (SUV<ce:inf loc=\"post\">max</ce:inf>, SUV<ce:inf loc=\"post\">mean</ce:inf>) and heterogeneity metrics. Four paired ACR vials (25, 16, 12, 8 mm) and 3D-printed vials (matched dimensions, 0.2 mm layer resolution) were imaged on a Siemens Biograph system following clinical protocols. Quantitative analysis revealed excellent agreement for 25 mm vials, with SUV<ce:inf loc=\"post\">max</ce:inf> values of 2.37 ± 0.02 (ACR) versus 2.39 ± 0.03 (3D-printed) (p > 0.05), both within clinical acceptance criteria (1.8–2.8) per ACR guidelines. The 16 mm/25 mm SUV ratio (0.89 for 3D-printed vs. 0.93 for ACR) exceeded the 0.7 diagnostic threshold, confirming preserved contrast recovery. However, increasing heterogeneity was observed in smaller 3D-printed vials (COV up to 1.39 % vs. 0.95 % for ACR at 25 mm), attributed to material inconsistencies and printing artifacts. These findings demonstrate that 3D-printed vials perform comparably to ACR standards for clinically relevant volumes (≥12 mm) while require further optimization of printing resolution and material selection.","PeriodicalId":20861,"journal":{"name":"Radiation Physics and Chemistry","volume":"41 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145009036","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}