Abstract
Influence of Gd2O3 on the structure, physical, neutrons and gamma-photon protection features of newly prepared (50-x)B2O3 + 25Bi2O3 + 25Na2O + xGd2O3 glasses with different Gd2O3 concentrations was investigated. Glasses have been prepared via solid-state conventional method and encoded as Gd0, Gd1, Gd2, Gd3, and Gd4, respectively, according to xGd2O3 values. X-ray diffraction measurements proved that all Gd-glasses were in an amorphous nature. The density of the samples was increased from 5.1021 to 6.3210 g.cm−3. The mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) values were simulated via MCNPX in photon energy range of 15 keV–15 MeV and verified via XCOM program. The MACs were ranged from 28.69 to 32.52 cm2.g−1, while linear attenuation coefficient values were found to be ranged from 142 to 201 cm−1 for Gd0 and Gd4, respectively. The Gd4 glass has the lowest half value layer (HVL, highest radiation shielding capacity) among all the prepared Gd-glasses, several concretes, and conventional glasses. The atomic cross section (ACS) and electronic cross section (ECS) values were enhanced with the increment of Gd ratio in the sample compositions, and the measures of ACS were much greater than the ECS values. The effective atomic number (Zeff) values were ranged from 62.7 to 63.4 for Gd0 to Gd4, respectively. The effective conductivity (Ceff) is directly proportional to the density and effective electron density of the glass samples. By utilizing the Phy-X/PSD program, the maximum values of exposure buildup factor were slowly decreased with the addition of Gd2O3 contents and decreased from 55.8 to 55.3, while the highest energy absorption buildup factor increases slowly from 70.5 to 71.1 for glasses Gd0 and Gd4, respectively. The lowest values of fast neutron removal cross section (∑R, cm−1) were obtained for glasses Gd0 (∑R = 0.179 cm−1), while the highest value was obtained for glasses Gd4 (∑R = 0.179 cm−1).