Study of the gamma and neutron shielding properties of boron carbide-coated stainless steels

Abstract This study examined the gamma and neutron radiation shielding performance of AISI 304, 310, 316L, and 430 stainless steels, which were coated with boron carbide using the radio frequency magnetron sputtering technique. Coating durations were varied (7, 12, and 14 h) to determine optimal film growth conditions. Structural, morphological, and compositional analyses of the coatings were conducted using energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscope (SEM) techniques. Gamma attenuation properties were evaluated both theoretically, using WinXCom software, and experimentally via narrow-beam transmission measurements using 241 Am, 133 Ba, and 137 Cs radioactive sources. Key shielding parameters, including mass attenuation coefficient, effective atomic number (Z eff ), effective electron density (N eff ), half-value layer, and mean free path were calculated. Neutron shielding effectiveness was experimentally assessed using a 241 Am-Be neutron source and theoretically evaluated using MRCsC software. Results showed that B 4 C coatings improved neutron absorption by 4% to 12%, with AISI 316L and 304 exhibiting the highest macroscopic removal cross sections. The findings demonstrate that B 4 C coatings significantly enhance the radiation shielding performance of stainless steels without compromising their mechanical integrity, offering a viable, lead-free solution for nuclear and medical radiation protection applications.