Analysis of potential waste materials of protection capacity against ionizing radiation using innovative methods

In this paper, we investigated different cement mortars for gamma-rays shielding. Six composite mortars were prepared by replacing fine aggregate (sand) with 0, 20, 40, 60 and 100% of cathode ray tube (CRT) glass. The composites represented by CM-CRT-0 (without CRT), CM-CRT-20, CM-CRT-40, CM-CRT-60, CM-CRT-80, and CM-CRT-100 (without sand). The mass attenuation coefficient, or MAC, of these materials has been determined experimentally at a wide range of energy ranges. At 0.060 MeV and 0.662 MeV, the samples with highest CRT concentrations had the greatest MAC values. However, at energies above 1 MeV, the opposite trend between MAC and CRT content is observed. The prepared composites' linear attenuation coefficient was also determined with the results showing that the CM-CRT-100 sample, that with the greatest concentration of CRT, is characterized at all tested energies by the optimum shielding capabilities. The half value layer (HVL) values are observed to increase with energy, with the lowest occurring at 0.060 MeV, and continuously increasing until 1.333 MeV. For example, the HVL of CM-CRT-20 is 0.616, 3.815, 5.063, and 5.408 cm at 0.060, 0.662, 1.173, and 1.333 MeV, respectively, while that of CM-CRT-60 is 0.303, 3.661, 4.972, and 5.321 cm, respectively. At 0.060 MeV, the CM-CRT-60, CM-CRT-80, and CM-CRT-100 samples have radiation absorption rate, or RAR values of close to 100%. At elevated energies like 1.173 MeV, the RAR values range between 49.24% for CM-CRT-0 to 50.93% for CM-CRT-100.