TeO2-B2O3-ZnO-La2O3 glasses: gamma-ray and neutron attenuation characteristics analysis by WinXCOM program, MCNP5, Geant4, and Penelope simulation codes

Abstract

gamma.-ray, fast and thermal neutrons shielding features for five Pb-free {[(TeO2)(0.70)(B2O3)(0.30)](0.7) (ZnO)(0.30)}((1-x)) (La2O3)(x) (x = 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04, and 0.05 mol%) glasses have been inspected in this work. For all samples, within the photon energy range of 0.015-15 MeV, linear attenuation coefficients (mu) and mass attenuation coefficients (mu/.) were estimated using WinXCOM program (theoretical approach), and obtained mu/rho values are in fine agreement with computed mu/rho results of respective MCNP5, Geant4, and Penelope codes. By utilizing mu/rho values of WinXCOM, gamma-ray attenuation parameters like effective atomic number (Z(eff)), effective electron density (N-eff), half-value layer (HVL), and mean free path (MFP) were assessed within 0.015-15 MeV photon energy range, for all samples. Additionally, exposure buildup factors (EBFs) and energy absorption buildup factors (EABFs) were calculated for all samples by applying a five parameter geometric progression (G.P) fitting method as a function of various penetration depths (1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 mfp) within 0.015-15 MeV photon energy range. The derived radiation protection efficiency (RPE) results indicate all samples' effective attenuation competence for lower energy gamma-rays. Among all glasses, 46.55TeO(2)-19.95B(2)O(3)-28.5ZnO-5La(2)O(3) (mol%) sample, by having relatively bigger mu/rho and Z(eff), minimal HVL and MFP, and lowest EBF and EABF, endorse its' excellent.-ray shielding effectiveness. Further, neutron shielding parameters such as macroscopic removal cross-section for fast neutrons (Sigma(R)), coherent and incoherent scattering cross-sections (sigma(cs) & sigma(ics)), absorption cross-section (sigma(A)), and total cross-section (sT) for thermal neutrons were explored. By using the Geant4 code, 'sigma(T)' values have been deduced within 10-4.10-8 MeV neutron energy range. The 46.55TeO(2)-19.95B(2)O(3)-28.5ZnO-5La(2)O(3) (mol%) glass owns relatively larger SR (0.1474 cm(-1)) for fast neutrons attenuation and 'sT' (10.1444 cm(-1) at 0.0253 eV neutron energy, 15.9824 cm(-1). 0.551 cm(-1) from 1 x 10-8 MeV. 1 x 10-4 MeV neutron energy) for thermal neutrons absorption, respectively, revealing its' superior neutrons shielding ability.