A Simulation Study: Radiation Shielding Performance of Dy/Eu-Doped Boro-FBi Glasses

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the effect of varying Bi2O3 and Al2O3 concentrations on gamma-ray and neutron shielding properties of glass. Five different glass samples with chemical composition 50B2O3-(25-x)Al2O3-10Na2O-xBi2O3-15CaF2-0.5Dy2O3-0.5Eu2O3 where x = 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 mol% are considered. The physical characteristics of the considered glasses, such as molar volume and atomic packing density, are calculated. The Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport Code (MCNP5) and XCOM software have been used to perform theoretical calculations for studying the shielding properties, such as the mass attenuation coefficient (MAC), half-value layer (HVL), mean free path (MFP), and neutron removal cross-section (RCS) in the energy range of 15-15000 keV. Increasing the Bi2O3 concentration significantly enhances all the aforementioned properties, making the S5 glass sample the most effective among the tested compositions. It provides complete protection against X-rays. Compared to other shielding materials, this glass sample is identified as a high-performance gamma-ray and neutron shield, making it suitable for radiation protection.