6–10 Jul 2026
University of the Western Cape
Africa/Johannesburg timezone
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Structural and Shielding Properties of Er₂Os₂O₇ Pyrochlore Material

8 Jul 2026, 10:10
20m
Lecture Hall GH2 (University of the Western Cape)

Lecture Hall GH2

University of the Western Cape

Oral Presentation Track B - Nuclear, Particle and Radiation Physics Nuclear, Particle and Radiation Physics -1

Speaker

Prof. Buyisiwe Sondezi (University of Johannesburg)

Description

The advancement of time, which comes along with the evolution in technology, necessitates a targeted research focus for various applications. In material science and the use of materials for various applications, radiation and shielding are critical aspects to deal with, especially for the health of the users. Attenuation of harmful electromagnetic radiation is of great importance. In this work, we report the results of the investigation of the radiation shielding properties of a lead-free, rare-earth-based, Er₂Os₂O₇ compound. A well-characterized powdered sample was investigated through NIST XCOM and Phy-X for radiation shielding properties. The mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) results ranged from 3.398 cm²/g at 0.1 MeV to 0.042 cm²/g at 10 MeV, indicating that Er₂Os₂O₇ is a better photon shield at low energies. The HVL and TVL values further show that Er₂Os₂O₇ has better photon shielding capabilities when compared to ceramic glasses, lanthanide-based ceramics, and germanate glasses. However, the MAC and LAC values further confirmed that this material is not a good neutron shielding material.

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Authors

Prof. Buyisiwe Sondezi (University of Johannesburg) Mr Tinashe Dhliwayo

Presentation materials

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