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Radiation Shielding Materials

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Advanced Composites".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 March 2022) | Viewed by 41320

Special Issue Editors

Dr. M.I. Sayyed

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of physics, Faculty of Science, Isra University, Amman, Jordan
2. Department of Nuclear Medicine Research, Institute for Research and Medical Consultations (IRMC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU), P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia
Interests: ionizing radiation; radiation shielding materials; heavy metal oxide glasses; Monte Carlo simulation; nanomaterials for radiation protection; ceramics for radiation shielding applications; radiation shielding for medical applications
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Daria Tishkevich

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Laboratory of Single Crystal Growth, South Ural State University, 454080 Chelyabinsk, Russia
2. Scientific-Practical Materials Research Centre of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 220072 Minsk, Belarus
Interests: electrochemical analysis; material characterization; nanomaterials; electrodeposition; materials; nanomaterials synthesis; self-assembled monolayers; nanostructured materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the increased use of radiation across vast fields of work, it is necessary to also develop radiation shields that can adequately protect the bodies of workers and patients that come into contact with high-energy photons. Radiation shields, or materials that are used to absorb radiation, are necessary to properly attenuate ionizing radiation, which is defined as radiation that has sufficient energy to detach electrons from atoms. Long-term human exposure to ionizing radiation can cause permanent tissue damage, acute radiation syndrome, cancer, and death in extreme cases. Thus, to prevent these effects, workers and patients must be provided with efficient radiation shields that will lower the levels of radiation to safe enough levels.

When deciding on a material to use to attenuate radiation, several specifics of the application must be considered, such as the energies of the incoming photons, the environmental conditions of the radiation source (indoors or outdoors), whether transparency is necessary, etc. Because of these varying uses, a shield that may be ideal for one specific situation may not be an effective shield in another. Some examples of commonly used radiation shielding materials include concrete, alloys, pure lead, and glasses. All these materials offer their own unique pros and cons but are receiving attention by various researchers in the radiation shielding community to attempt to discover the ideal shielding material for each application.

The Special Issue, “Radiation-Shielding Properties of Different Materials”, will focus on novel materials used for radiation protection applications in different fields, such as medicine, science, nuclear industry, electronics, and aerospace.

Dr. M.I. Sayyed
Dr. Daria Tishkevich
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • ionizing radiation
  • radiation shielding
  • electromagnetic shielding
  • computer simulation
  • glasses as shielding materials
  • ceramics as shielding materials
  • films and coatings as shielding materials
  • attenuation factors
  • radioisotopes
  • morphological, structural, mechanical, optical, and radiation shielding properties

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (16 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 6224 KiB  
Article
Evaluating the X-ray-Shielding Performance of Graphene-Oxide-Coated Nanocomposite Fabric
by Serhat Süha Türkaslan, Şule Sultan Ugur, Banu Esencan Türkaslan and Nicholas Fantuzzi
Materials 2022, 15(4), 1441; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma15041441 - 15 Feb 2022
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2737
Abstract
Exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) during diagnostic medical procedures brings certain risks, especially when experiencing recurrent exposures. The fabrication of nano-based composites, doped with different nanoparticles, have been suggested as effective shielding materials to replace conventional lead-based ones in material sciences and nanotechnology. [...] Read more.
Exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) during diagnostic medical procedures brings certain risks, especially when experiencing recurrent exposures. The fabrication of nano-based composites, doped with different nanoparticles, have been suggested as effective shielding materials to replace conventional lead-based ones in material sciences and nanotechnology. In this study, commercially available fabrics, used to produce scrubs and gowns for clinical staff, are modified utilizing graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles using a layer-by-layer (LBL) technique. GO was obtained from graphite through environmentally friendly technology by using a modified–improved Hummers’ method without NaNO3. Lightweight, flexible, air- and water-permeable shielding materials are produced that are wearable in all-day clinical practice. The nanoparticles are kept to a minimum at 1 wt%; however, utilizing the LBL technique they are distributed evenly along the fibers of the fabrics to achieve as much shielding effect as possible. The evaluation of samples is accomplished by simulating real-time routine clinical procedures and the radiographic programs and devices used daily. The GO-coated nanocomposite fabrics demonstrated promising results for X-ray shielding. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Radiation Shielding Materials)
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11 pages, 2353 KiB  
Article
Tungsten-Based Hybrid Composite Shield for Medical Radioisotope Defense
by Seon-Chil Kim
Materials 2022, 15(4), 1338; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma15041338 - 11 Feb 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1601
Abstract
The shielding performance of shielding clothing is typically improved by increasing the shielding material content, but this lowers the tensile strength of the material. The weight and wearability of the shielding suit are also adversely affected. Important considerations when developing shielding fabric are [...] Read more.
The shielding performance of shielding clothing is typically improved by increasing the shielding material content, but this lowers the tensile strength of the material. The weight and wearability of the shielding suit are also adversely affected. Important considerations when developing shielding fabric are thickness and flexibility to allow the wearer sufficient mobility. Insufficient thickness lowers the shielding performance, whereas excessive thickness decreases the flexibility of the garment. This study aimed to develop a composite shield that reproduces the shielding performance and meets the flexibility of the process technology. The new shield was manufactured by combining two layers: the shielding fabric fabricated from tungsten wire and a shielding sheet produced by mixing a polymer (PDMS) with tungsten powder. These two shields were bonded to develop a double hybrid composite. Compared with the existing shielding sheet (produced from lead equivalent of 0.55 mmPb), the shielding performance of the hybrid composite shield improved by approximately 17% on average and the tensile strength was 53% higher. The hybrid composite shield has a thickness of 1.35 ± 0.02 mm and delivers the same shielding performance as the lead equivalent. The new hybrid composite shield offers higher wearer mobility while shielding against radiation exposure in medical institutions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Radiation Shielding Materials)
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13 pages, 2010 KiB  
Article
Influence of Bi2O3 on Mechanical Properties and Radiation-Shielding Performance of Lithium Zinc Bismuth Silicate Glass System Using Phys-X Software
by Aljawhara H. Almuqrin, M. I. Sayyed, Nimitha S. Prabhu and Sudha D. Kamath
Materials 2022, 15(4), 1327; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma15041327 - 11 Feb 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1410
Abstract
We analyzed the mechanical properties and radiation-shielding performance of a lithium zinc bismuth silicate glass system. The composition of these glasses is 20ZnO-30Li2O-(50-x)SiO2-xBi2O3 (x varies between 10 and 40 mol%). The mechanical properties of the investigated [...] Read more.
We analyzed the mechanical properties and radiation-shielding performance of a lithium zinc bismuth silicate glass system. The composition of these glasses is 20ZnO-30Li2O-(50-x)SiO2-xBi2O3 (x varies between 10 and 40 mol%). The mechanical properties of the investigated glass system, such as Young’s modulus (E), bulk modulus (K), shear modulus (S), and longitudinal modulus (L), were determined using the Makishima–Mackenzie model. The elastic moduli gradually decreased with the addition of Bi2O3. E decreased from 46 to 31 GPa, K decreased from 27 to 14 GPa, S decreased from 19 to 14 GPa, and L decreased from 52 to 32 GPa as Bi2O3 was substituted for SiO2. The mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) was investigated at energies between 0.284 and 1.33 MeV to understand the radiation-shielding performance of the glasses. The MAC value increased when SiO2 was replaced by Bi2O3. We found that the effect of Bi2O3 on MAC values was noticeably stronger at energies of 0.284 and 0.347 MeV, while the effect of Bi2O3 on MAC values became weaker as energy increased. The linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) results demonstrated that if the samples were exposed to low-energy photons, the glass could prevent the penetration of photons, and thus, the glass samples were effective in radiation protection. The LAC values for the lowest- and highest-density samples changed from 0.998 to 1.976 cm−1 (at 0.284 MeV) and from 0.286 to 0.424 cm−1 (at 0.826 MeV). According to the radiation-shielding results, the thick, high-density glass sample has special and distinctive shielding properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Radiation Shielding Materials)
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22 pages, 3777 KiB  
Article
Guayule Natural Rubber Latex and Bi2O3 Films for X-ray Attenuating Medical Gloves
by David A. Ramirez Cadavid, Rick R. Layman, Thomas Nishino, J. Lauren Slutzky, Zhenyu Li and Katrina Cornish
Materials 2022, 15(3), 1184; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma15031184 - 04 Feb 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2627
Abstract
Existing natural latex radiation-attenuating gloves (RAGs) contain a high loading of radiation attenuation filler that reduces their mechanical properties to below Food and Drug Administration (FDA) medical glove requirements. RAGs are commonly formulated using Hevea natural rubber latex and lead-based fillers. The former [...] Read more.
Existing natural latex radiation-attenuating gloves (RAGs) contain a high loading of radiation attenuation filler that reduces their mechanical properties to below Food and Drug Administration (FDA) medical glove requirements. RAGs are commonly formulated using Hevea natural rubber latex and lead-based fillers. The former can cause life-threatening allergic responses and the latter are known for their toxicity. In this work, a new lead-free RAG formulation based on circumallergenic guayule natural rubber latex (GNRL) and non-toxic radiation attenuation filler bismuth trioxide (Bi2O3) was developed. GNRL films with Bi2O3 loadings ranging from 0 to 300 PHR at different thicknesses were prepared. Radiation attenuation efficiencies (AE) at 60, 80, 100, and 120 kVp were determined and attenuation isocontour curves predicted film thickness and Bi2O3 loading required to meet or exceed the radiation attenuation requirements of ASTM D7866 and commercial RAGs. Optimal curing conditions for GNRL/Bi2O3 films with 150 PHR Bi2O3 were investigated by varying curing temperatures and time from 87 °C to 96 °C and 65 min to 90 min, respectively. In general, as the loading of the filler increased, the density of the films increased while the thickness decreased. GNRL/Bi2O3 films with 150 PHR Bi2O3 and 0.27 mm provided 5% more AE than RAG market average attenuation at the same thickness. The films with 150 PHR Bi2O3 cured under near-optimal conditions (90 °C/85 min, and 87 °C/65 min) met both the radiation attenuation standard (ASTM D7866) and the natural latex surgeon and examination glove standards (ASTM D3577 and D3578, respectively). Thus, gloves made using our formulations and protocols demonstrated potential to meet and surpass medical natural latex glove standards, offer a single product for both infection control and radiation protection instead of double-gloving, provide a greater degree of comfort to the user, and simultaneously reduce contact reactions and eliminate potential latex allergic reaction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Radiation Shielding Materials)
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13 pages, 1836 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of the Radiation-Protective Properties of Bi (Pb)–Sr–Ca–Cu–O Ceramic Prepared at Different Temperatures with Silver Inclusion
by Essia Hannachi, K. A. Mahmoud, Aljawhara H. Almuqrin, M. I. Sayyed and Yassine Slimani
Materials 2022, 15(3), 1034; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma15031034 - 28 Jan 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 1989
Abstract
The influences of the sintering process and AgNO3 addition on the phase formation and radiation shielding characteristics of Bi1.6Pb0.4Sr2Ca2Cu3O10 were studied. Three ceramics (code: C0, C1, and C2) were prepared as [...] Read more.
The influences of the sintering process and AgNO3 addition on the phase formation and radiation shielding characteristics of Bi1.6Pb0.4Sr2Ca2Cu3O10 were studied. Three ceramics (code: C0, C1, and C2) were prepared as follows: C0 was obtained after calcination and only one sintering step, C1 was obtained after calcination and two sintering cycles, and C2 was prepared after the addition of AgNO3 at the beginning of the final sintering stage. C2 displayed the maximum volume fraction of the Bi-2223 phase (76.4 vol%), the greatest crystallite size, and high density. The linear mass attenuation coefficient (µ) has been simulated using the Monte Carlo simulation. The µ values are high at 15 keV (257.2 cm−1 for C0, 417.57 cm−1 for C1, and 421.16 cm−1 for C2), and these values dropped and became 72.58, 117.83 and 133.19 cm−1 at 30 keV. The µ value for the ceramics after sintering is much higher than the ceramic before sintering. In addition, the µ value for C2 is higher than that of C1, suggesting that the AgNO3 improves the radiation attenuation performance for the fabricated ceramics. It was demonstrated that the sintering and AgNO3 addition have a considerable influence on the ceramic thickness required to attenuate the radiation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Radiation Shielding Materials)
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14 pages, 2853 KiB  
Article
Fabrication of Lead Free Borate Glasses Modified by Bismuth Oxide for Gamma Ray Protection Applications
by Yas Al-Hadeethi, M. I. Sayyed, Abeer Z. Barasheed, Moustafa Ahmed and Mohamed Elsafi
Materials 2022, 15(3), 789; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma15030789 - 21 Jan 2022
Cited by 34 | Viewed by 2233
Abstract
In the present work, bismuth borate glass samples with the composition of (99-x) B2O3 + 1Cr2O3 + (x) Bi2O3 (x = 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 wt [...] Read more.
In the present work, bismuth borate glass samples with the composition of (99-x) B2O3 + 1Cr2O3 + (x) Bi2O3 (x = 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 wt %) were prepared using the melt quenching technique. The mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) of the prepared glass samples was measured through a narrow beam technique using a NaI(Tl) scintillation detector. Four point sources were used (241Am, 133Ba, 152Eu, and 137Cs) to measure the MAC for the prepared glasses. The experimental data were compared with the theoretical results obtained from the XCOM, and it was shown that for all samples at all tested energies, the relative deviation between the samples is less than 3%. This finding signifies that the experimental data can adequately be used to evaluate the shielding ability of the glasses. The MAC of the sample with x = 25 wt % was compared with different lead borate glasses and the results indicated that the present sample has high attenuation which is very close to commercial lead borate glasses. We determined the transmission factor (TF), and found that it is small at low energies and increases as the energy increases. The addition of Bi2O3 leads to reduction in the TF values, which improves the shielding performance of the glass system. The half value layer (HVL) of the BCrBi-10 sample was 0.400 cm at 0.595 MeV, 1.619 cm at 0.2447 MeV, and 4.946 cm at 1.4080 MeV. Meanwhile, the HVL of the BCrBi-20 sample is equal to 0.171 and 4.334 cm at 0.0595 and 1.4080 MeV, respectively. The HVL data emphasize that higher energy photons tend to penetrate through the glasses with greater ease than lower energy photons. Furthermore, the fast neutron removable cross section (FNRC) was determined for the present samples and compared with lead borate glass and concrete, and the results showed a remarkable superiority of the bismuth borate glass samples. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Radiation Shielding Materials)
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11 pages, 2396 KiB  
Article
Enhancement of Ceramics Based Red-Clay by Bulk and Nano Metal Oxides for Photon Shielding Features
by Mohamed Elsafi, Mirvat Fawzi Dib, Hoda Ezzelddin Mustafa, M. I. Sayyed, Mayeen Uddin Khandaker, Abdullah Alsubaie, Abdulraheem S. A. Almalki, Mahmoud I. Abbas and Ahmed M. El-Khatib
Materials 2021, 14(24), 7878; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma14247878 - 19 Dec 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2614
Abstract
We prepared red clays by introducing different percentages of PbO, Bi2O3, and CdO. In order to understand how the introduction of these oxides into red clay influences its attenuation ability, the mass attenuation coefficient of the clays was experimentally [...] Read more.
We prepared red clays by introducing different percentages of PbO, Bi2O3, and CdO. In order to understand how the introduction of these oxides into red clay influences its attenuation ability, the mass attenuation coefficient of the clays was experimentally measured in a lab using an HPGe detector. The theoretical shielding capability of the material present was obtained using XCOM to verify the accuracy of the experimental results. We found that the experimental and theoretical values agree to a very high degree of precision. The effective atomic number (Zeff) of pure red clay, and red clay with the three metal oxides was determined. The pure red clay had the lowest Zeff of the tested samples, which means that introducing any of these three oxides into the clay will greatly enhance its Zeff, and consequently its attenuation capability. Additionally, the Zeff for red clay with 10 wt% CdO is lower than the Zeff of red clay with 10 wt% Bi2O3 and PbO. We also prepared red clay using 10 wt% CdO nanoparticles and compared its attenuation ability with the red clay prepared with 10 wt% PbO, Bi2O3, and CdO microparticles. We found that the MAC of the red clay with 10 wt% nano-CdO was higher than the MAC of the clay with microparticle samples. Accordingly, nanoparticles could be a useful way to enhance the shielding ability of current radiation shielding materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Radiation Shielding Materials)
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12 pages, 4120 KiB  
Article
Experimental Investigation of Radiation Shielding Competence of Bi2O3-CaO-K2O-Na2O-P2O5 Glass Systems
by Dalal Abdullah Aloraini, Aljawhara H. Almuqrin, M. I. Sayyed, Hanan Al-Ghamdi, Ashok Kumar and M. Elsafi
Materials 2021, 14(17), 5061; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma14175061 - 03 Sep 2021
Cited by 34 | Viewed by 2031
Abstract
The gamma-ray shielding features of Bi2O3-CaO-K2O-Na2O-P2O5 glass systems were experimentally reported. The mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) for the fabricated glasses was experimentally measured at seven energy values (between 0.0595 and 1.33 MeV). [...] Read more.
The gamma-ray shielding features of Bi2O3-CaO-K2O-Na2O-P2O5 glass systems were experimentally reported. The mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) for the fabricated glasses was experimentally measured at seven energy values (between 0.0595 and 1.33 MeV). The compatibility between the practical and theoretical results shows the accuracy of the results obtained in the laboratory for determining the MAC of the prepared samples. The mass and linear attenuation coefficients (MACs) increase with the addition of Bi2O3 and A4 glass possesses the highest MAC and LAC. A downward trend in the linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) with increasing the energy from 0.0595 to 1.33 MeV is found. The highest LAC is found at 1.33 MeV (in the range of 0.092–0.143 cm−1). The effective atomic number (Zeff) follows the order B1 > A1 > A2 > A3 > A4. This order emphasizes that increasing the content of Bi2O3 has a positive effect on the photon shielding proficiencies owing to the higher density of Bi2O3 compared with Na2O. The half value layer (HVL) is also determined and the HVL for the tested glasses is computed between 0.106 and 0.958 cm at 0.0595 MeV. The glass with 10 mol% of Bi2O3 has lower HVL than the glasses with 0, 2.5, 5, and 7.5 mol% of Bi2O3. So, the A4 glass needs a smaller thickness than the other glasses to shield the same radiation. As a result of the reported shielding parameters, inserting B2O3 provides lower values of these three parameters, which in turn leads to the development of superior photons shields. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Radiation Shielding Materials)
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15 pages, 2792 KiB  
Article
Gamma-Ray Attenuation and Exposure Buildup Factor of Novel Polymers in Shielding Using Geant4 Simulation
by Mahmoud T. Alabsy, Jamila S. Alzahrani, M. I. Sayyed, Mahmoud I. Abbas, Daria I. Tishkevich, Ahmed M. El-Khatib and Mohamed Elsafi
Materials 2021, 14(17), 5051; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma14175051 - 03 Sep 2021
Cited by 59 | Viewed by 3544
Abstract
Polymers are often used in medical applications, therefore, some novel polymers and their interactions with photons have been studied. The gamma-ray shielding parameters for Polymethylpentene (PMP), Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), Polyoxymethylene (POM), Polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF), and Polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE) polymers were determined using the Geant4 simulation [...] Read more.
Polymers are often used in medical applications, therefore, some novel polymers and their interactions with photons have been studied. The gamma-ray shielding parameters for Polymethylpentene (PMP), Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), Polyoxymethylene (POM), Polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF), and Polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE) polymers were determined using the Geant4 simulation and discussed in the current work. The mass attenuation coefficients (μ/ρ) were simulated at low and high energies between 0.059 and 1.408 MeV using different radionuclides. The accuracy of the Geant4 simulated results were checked with the XCOM software. The two different methods had good agreement with each other. Exposure buildup factor (EBF) was calculated and discussed in terms of polymers under study and photon energy. Effective atomic number (Zeff) and electron density (Neff) were calculated and analyzed at different energies. Additionally, the half-value layer (HVL) of the polymers was evaluated, and the results of this parameter showed that PCTFE had the highest probability of interaction with gamma photons compared to those of the other tested polymers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Radiation Shielding Materials)
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10 pages, 1588 KiB  
Article
Development of New Lead-Free Composite Materials as Potential Radiation Shields
by Mansour Almurayshid, Yousif Alssalim, Farouk Aksouh, Rashed Almsalam, Meshari ALQahtani, M. I. Sayyed and Fahad Almasoud
Materials 2021, 14(17), 4957; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma14174957 - 30 Aug 2021
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3393
Abstract
Utilizing a polymer-based radiation shield offers lightweight, low cost, non-toxic compared to lead and solution for eliminating generated secondary neutrons. Incorporating silicon (i.e., one of the most abundant elements) in new applications, such as shielding, would have an impact on the economy and [...] Read more.
Utilizing a polymer-based radiation shield offers lightweight, low cost, non-toxic compared to lead and solution for eliminating generated secondary neutrons. Incorporating silicon (i.e., one of the most abundant elements) in new applications, such as shielding, would have an impact on the economy and industry. In this study, seven potential shielding materials, composed of silicon, silicon carbide, and boron carbide embedded ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers, are proposed. The shielding performance of these composite materials, including the attenuation coefficients (µ), the mass attenuation coefficients (µm), the half value layer (HVL), the mean free path (MFP), and the radiation protection efficiency (RPE) were examined using photon beams. Measured µm were verified against the calculated values. The averaged agreement was within ±7.4% between the experimental measurements and the theoretical calculation results. The HVL and MFP measured values for the polymer composites were lower than that for the pure EVA polymer, indicating the fillers in the polymers enhanced the shielding performance. The EVA + SiC (30%) and EVA + Si (15%) + B4C (15%) composites required the lowest thickness to stop 50% of the incident photons. The evaluation of experimental results of the RPE revealed that the polymer composites containing SiC (30%), Si (15%) + B4C (15%), or SiC (15%) + B4C (15%) succeeded in blocking 90–91% of X-rays at nearly 80 keV. However, a thicker shield of the proposed composite materials or combined layers with other high-Z materials could be used for higher energies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Radiation Shielding Materials)
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10 pages, 1281 KiB  
Article
The Vital Role of La2O3 on the La2O3-CaO-B2O3-SiO2 Glass System for Shielding Some Common Gamma Ray Radioactive Sources
by Hanan Al-Ghamdi, Mengge Dong, M. I. Sayyed, Chao Wang, Aljawhara H. Almuqrin and Fahad I. Almasoud
Materials 2021, 14(17), 4776; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma14174776 - 24 Aug 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1444
Abstract
The role La2O3 on the radiation shielding properties of La2O3-CaO-B2O3-SiO2 glass systems was investigated. The energies were selected between 0.284 and 1.275 MeV and Phy-X software was used for the calculations. [...] Read more.
The role La2O3 on the radiation shielding properties of La2O3-CaO-B2O3-SiO2 glass systems was investigated. The energies were selected between 0.284 and 1.275 MeV and Phy-X software was used for the calculations. BLa10 glass had the least linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) at all the tested energies, while BLa30 had the greatest, which indicated that increasing the content of La2O3 in the BLa-X glasses enhances the shielding performance of these glasses. The mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) of BLa15 decreases from 0.150 cm2/g to 0.054 cm2/g at energies of 0.284 MeV and 1.275 MeV, respectively, while the MAC of BLa25 decreases from 0.164 cm2/g to 0.053 cm2/g for the same energies, respectively. At all energies, the effective atomic number (Zeff) values follow the trend BLa10 < BLa15 < BLa20 < BLa25 < BLa30. The half value thickness (HVL) of the BLa-X glass shields were also investigated. The minimum HVL values are found at 0.284 MeV. The HVL results demonstrated that BLa30 is the most space-efficient shield. The tenth value layer (TVL) results demonstrated that the glasses are more effective attenuators at lower energies, while decreasing in ability at greater energies. These mean free path results proved that increasing the density of the glasses, by increasing the amount of La2O3 content, lowers MFP, and increases attenuation, which means that BLa30, the glass with the greatest density, absorbs the most amount of radiation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Radiation Shielding Materials)
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10 pages, 1600 KiB  
Article
Enhancement of Bentonite Materials with Cement for Gamma-Ray Shielding Capability
by Ahmed M. El-Khatib, Mohamed Elsafi, Mohamed N. Almutiri, R. M. M. Mahmoud, Jamila S. Alzahrani, M. I. Sayyed and Mahmoud I. Abbas
Materials 2021, 14(16), 4697; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma14164697 - 20 Aug 2021
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 2064
Abstract
The gamma-ray shielding ability of various Bentonite–Cement mixed materials from northeast Egypt have been examined by determining their theoretical and experimental mass attenuation coefficients, μm (cm2g−1), at photon energies of 59.6, 121.78, 344.28, 661.66, 964.13, 1173.23, 1332.5 and [...] Read more.
The gamma-ray shielding ability of various Bentonite–Cement mixed materials from northeast Egypt have been examined by determining their theoretical and experimental mass attenuation coefficients, μm (cm2g−1), at photon energies of 59.6, 121.78, 344.28, 661.66, 964.13, 1173.23, 1332.5 and 1408.01 keV emitted from 241Am, 137Cs, 152Eu and 60Co point sources. The μm was theoretically calculated using the chemical compositions obtained by Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDX), while a NaI (Tl) scintillation detector was used to experimentally determine the μm (cm2g−1) of the mixed samples. The theoretical values are in acceptable agreement with the experimental calculations of the XCom software. The linear attenuation coefficient (μ), mean free path (MFP), half-value layer (HVL) and the exposure buildup factor (EBF) were also calculated by knowing the μm values of the examined samples. The gamma-radiation shielding ability of the selected Bentonite–Cement mixed samples have been studied against other puplished shielding materials. Knowledge of various factors such as thermo-chemical stability, availability and water holding capacity of the bentonite–cement mixed samples can be analyzed to determine the effectiveness of the materials to shield gamma rays. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Radiation Shielding Materials)
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13 pages, 3274 KiB  
Article
Shielding Properties of Some Marble Types: A Comprehensive Study of Experimental and XCOM Results
by Mohamed Elsafi, Mohamed A. El-Nahal, M. F. Alrashedi, O. I. Olarinoye, M. I. Sayyed, Mayeen Uddin Khandaker, Hamid Osman, Sultan Alamri and M. I. Abbas
Materials 2021, 14(15), 4194; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma14154194 - 27 Jul 2021
Cited by 29 | Viewed by 2250
Abstract
In this work, some marble types were collected from Egypt, and their shielding characteristics were estimated. Their rigidity, in addition to their elegant shape, led us to consider their use as a protective shield, in addition to making the workplace more beautiful. The [...] Read more.
In this work, some marble types were collected from Egypt, and their shielding characteristics were estimated. Their rigidity, in addition to their elegant shape, led us to consider their use as a protective shield, in addition to making the workplace more beautiful. The mass attenuation coefficient (μ/ρ) was calculated for three types of marble (Breshia, Galala, and Trista) experimentally, using a narrow gamma ray source and high pure germanium (HPGe). The results obtained were compared with the XCOM program and indicated a very good agreement between the two methods. The linear attenuation coefficient (μ) was evaluated to calculate the half and tenth value layers. The maximum μ value of 1.055, 1.041, and 1.024 cm−1 was obtained for Breshia, Galala, and Trista, respectively, at 0.06 MeV. The mean free path for studying the materials was compared with other shielding materials and showed good results at different energy scales. The energy absorption (EABF) and exposure buildup factors (EBF) were determined at different mean free paths. The fast neutron removal cross section ΣR was calculated and expresses the ability of the marbles to slow down fast neutrons through multiple scattering. This is the ability of the marbles to shield fast neutrons. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Radiation Shielding Materials)
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14 pages, 4063 KiB  
Article
The Potentials of Egyptian and Indian Granites for Protection of Ionizing Radiation
by Mohamed Elsafi, M. F. Alrashedi, M. I. Sayyed, Ibrahim F. Al-Hamarneh, M. A. El-Nahal, Mostafa El-Khatib, Mayeen Uddin Khandaker, Hamid Osman and Ahmad El Askary
Materials 2021, 14(14), 3928; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma14143928 - 14 Jul 2021
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 2118
Abstract
This paper aims to study the radiation shielding characteristics and buildup factor of some types of granite in Egypt. The mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) for three types of granite (gandola, white halayeb, and red aswani) was experimentally determined, and the experimental results were [...] Read more.
This paper aims to study the radiation shielding characteristics and buildup factor of some types of granite in Egypt. The mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) for three types of granite (gandola, white halayeb, and red aswani) was experimentally determined, and the experimental results were validated by XCOM software. The relative deviation between the two methods does not exceed 3% in all discussed granite samples, which means that MAC calculated through the experimental and XCOM are in suitable agreement. The effective atomic number (Zeff) varies from 13.64 to 10.69, 13.68 to 10.59, and 13.45 and 10.66 for gandola, white halayeb, and red aswani, respectively. As well as the equivalent atomic number (Zeq) was calculated in a wide range of energy to deduce the exposure (EBF) and energy absorption (EABF) buildup factors for the studied granite materials. The linear attenuation coefficient (LAC), half-value layer (HVL), mean free path (MFP) were calculated at each investigated energy and showed that the most effective shielding ability at high energy was red aswani, while at low energy, the shielding ability was nearly constant for studied granites. The present study forms the first endeavor to obtain the radiation shielding properties of the studied materials to be used in practical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Radiation Shielding Materials)
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11 pages, 2492 KiB  
Article
Experimental and Theoretical Study of Radiation Shielding Features of CaO-K2O-Na2O-P2O5 Glass Systems
by M. I. Sayyed, Badriah Albarzan, Aljawhara H. Almuqrin, Ahmed M. El-Khatib, Ashok Kumar, Daria I. Tishkevich, Alex V. Trukhanov and Mohamed Elsafi
Materials 2021, 14(14), 3772; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma14143772 - 06 Jul 2021
Cited by 60 | Viewed by 2863
Abstract
The gamma radiation shielding ability for CaO-K2O-Na2O-P2O5 glasses were experimentally determined between 0.0595 and 1.41 MeV. The experimental MAC results were compared with theoretical results obtained from the XCOM software to test the accuracy of the [...] Read more.
The gamma radiation shielding ability for CaO-K2O-Na2O-P2O5 glasses were experimentally determined between 0.0595 and 1.41 MeV. The experimental MAC results were compared with theoretical results obtained from the XCOM software to test the accuracy of the experimental values. Additionally, the effect of increasing the P2O5 in the glass composition, or reducing the Na2O content, was evaluated at varying energies. For the fabricated glasses, the experimental data strongly agreed with the XCOM results. The effective atomic number (Zeff) of the fabricated glasses was also determined. The Zeff values start out at their maximum (12.41–12.55) at the lowest tested energy, 0.0595 MeV, and decrease to 10.69–10.80 at 0.245 MeV. As energy further increases, the Zeff values remain almost constant between 0.344 and 1.41 MeV. The mean free path (MFP) of the fabricated glasses is investigated and we found that the lowest MFP value occurs at the lowest tested energy, 0.0595 MeV, and lies within the range of 1.382–1.486 cm, while the greatest MFP can be found at the highest tested energy, 1.41 MeV, within the range of 8.121–8.656 cm. At all energies, the KCNP40 sample has the lowest MFP, while the KCNP60 sample has the greatest. The half value layer (HVL) for the KCNP-X glasses is determined. For all the selected energies, the HVL values follow the order of KCNP40 < KCNP45 < KCNP50 < KCNP55 < KCNP60. The HVL of the KCNP50 sample increased from 0.996 to 2.663, 3.392, 4.351, and 5.169 cm for energies of 0.0595, 0.245, 0.444, 0.779, and 1.11 MeV, respectively. The radiation protection efficiency (RPE) results reveal that decreasing the P2O5 content in the glasses improves the radiation shielding ability of the samples. Thus, the KCNP40 sample has the best potential for photon attenuation applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Radiation Shielding Materials)
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16 pages, 4864 KiB  
Article
The Influence of Titanium Dioxide on Silicate-Based Glasses: An Evaluation of the Mechanical and Radiation Shielding Properties
by Badriah Albarzan, Mohamed Y. Hanfi, Aljawhara H. Almuqrin, M. I. Sayyed, Haneen M. Alsafi and K. A. Mahmoud
Materials 2021, 14(12), 3414; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma14123414 - 20 Jun 2021
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 2144
Abstract
The mechanical and radiation shielding features were reported for a quaternary Na2O-CaO-SiO2-TiO2 glass system used in radiation protection. The fundamentals of the Makishima–Mazinize model were applied to evaluate the elastic moduli of the glass samples. The elastic moduli, [...] Read more.
The mechanical and radiation shielding features were reported for a quaternary Na2O-CaO-SiO2-TiO2 glass system used in radiation protection. The fundamentals of the Makishima–Mazinize model were applied to evaluate the elastic moduli of the glass samples. The elastic moduli, dissociation energy, and packing density increased as TiO2 increased. The glasses’ dissociation energy increased from 62.82 to 65.33 kJ/cm3, while the packing factor slightly increased between 12.97 and 13.00 as the TiO2 content increased. The MCNP-5 code was used to evaluate the gamma-ray shielding properties. The best linear attenuation coefficient was achieved for glass samples with a TiO2 content of 9 mol%: the coefficient decreased from 5.20 to 0.14 cm−1 as the photon energy increased from 0.015 to 15 MeV. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Radiation Shielding Materials)
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