Evaluation of radiation shielding characteristics of transparent barium bismuth borosilicate glasses derived from rice husk ash

Dense barium bismuth borosilicate glasses of compositions x(BaO+0.5Bi2O3+0.5B2O3) -(1-x) SiO2 (BBS), where x = 0.9, 0.8, 0.7, 0.6, &0.5 are prepared using melt-quenching technique by hot pressing the melt between stainless-steel plates. Silica content of the glasses is derived from the rice husk ash (RHA) (agro-waste) through physical heat treatment method. Silica content has increased with increasing heat treatment temperature along with the reduction in the carbon content as assessed by energy dispersive analysis. Prepared BBS glasses have shown desirable characteristics such as optical clarity, thermal stability and large density (>5.2 g/cc). Gamma radiation shielding properties of the BBS glasses are studied by calculating mass attenuation coefficients (MAC), and effective atomic numbers. The XCOM and Phy-X web software platforms are utilized to analyse the radiation shielding properties as a function of photon energy. Moreover, equivalent atomic numbers, exposure buildup factors, and energy absorption buildup factors are investigated at different mean free paths and photon energies. Radiation protection efficiency (RPE) of the prepared glasses is estimated, and a comparative analysis is performed with the different types of shielding glasses. The BBS glasses have shown higher mass attenuation coefficients (>0.09 cm2/g@662 keV), low half-value layer (1.27 cm@662 keV), and significant mean-free path values. BBS glasses have exhibited desirable RPE values (23.9 %), higher than those of commercial lead-based silicate glasses (RPE = 14.9 %) and comparable to metallic lead shields. Present work shows the utilization of the agro-waste (RHA) in preparing dense and environmental-friendly (lead-free) radiation shielding glasses with potential shielding characteristics.