Radiation shielding potential of NIMONIC PE16 superalloy for nuclear applications

This study aimed to investigate the radiation shielding potential of the NIMONIC® PE16∗ (PE16) superalloy. PE16 is a nickel-based superalloy commonly preferred in nuclear reactor applications owing to its high mechanical strength and superior corrosion resistance. A comprehensive evaluation of the radiation shielding performance of materials with the potential to serve as nuclear structural materials due to their superior mechanical properties is highly important for advanced nuclear applications. One of the most useful and widely used methods for evaluating a material's radiation shielding potential is the determination of various radiation–matter interaction parameters. These parameters enable meaningful inferences regarding the radiation shielding behavior of the material under photon exposure. Building on this approach, various radiation interaction parameters of the PE16 superalloy were calculated over a wide range of photon energies using the EpiXS and Phy-X/PSD software and the XCOM database. For comparison and meaningful evaluation of the radiation shielding potential of PE16, the same parameters were also determined for ordinary concrete (OC), scrap steel concrete (SC), and steel-magnetite concrete (SM), which are widely used shielding materials in nuclear applications. ∗ NIMONIC is a trademark of the Special Metals Corporation group of companies.