Assessing gamma-ray shielding effectiveness in CuZnAl alloys: A comparative study

This study investigated CuZnAl alloys as environmentally friendly alternatives to lead for gamma-ray shielding in medical and industrial applications. Seven alloys (A1–A7) were fabricated via arc melting and assessed using the XCOM and EPICS2017 software. Key shielding parameters, including the linear attenuation coefficient (LAC), half-value layer (HVL), and lead equivalent thickness (LET), were determined, and the software deviations were consistently less than 1%. Alloy A1 (80% Cu, 10% Zn, 10% Al) exhibited an LAC of 1.15E+01 cm⁻¹ and an HVL of 6.03E−02 cm at 0.0595 MeV. At 1.5281 MeV, a 5 cm thickness of A1 provides equivalent gamma-ray attenuation to 2.83 cm of lead. Increasing the aluminium content lowers Z_eff but raises N_eff, creating a trade-off in which alloys with higher Z_eff values are better for low-energy gamma shielding, and alloys with higher N_eff values perform better at higher energies. These findings indicate that CuZnAl alloys, particularly A1, offer promising lead-free gamma-ray shielding, addressing environmental and health concerns. This study provides valuable data for the development of advanced radiation protection materials.