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Description
This study investigates neodymium-doped bismuth borosilicate glasses with composition xBi₂O₃-(55-x)B₂O₃-15BaO-10ZnO-18SiO₂-2Nd₂O₃ (x = 15, 20, 25 mol%) as lead-free radiation shielding materials for diagnostic X-ray applications. Three glass samples were successfully synthesized via melt-quenching at 1000°C. Structural characterization confirmed complete amorphization, and density measurements yielded systematic increases from 3.881 g/cm³ (S1) to 4.788 g/cm³ (S3), representing 23.4% enhancement. Radiation shielding parameters were evaluated computationally using XCOM, PHYS-X, and GEANT4 across 0.03-0.3 MeV, with experimental validation through ¹³⁷Cs gamma-ray attenuation measurements. Results demonstrated that mass attenuation coefficient curves exhibited expected overlap (17-20 cm²/g at low energies), while linear attenuation coefficient showed systematic separation with S3 achieving 20-25% higher values than S1. The critical finding is that the 23.4% density increase produced nearly proportional shielding enhancement, demonstrating that material densification dominates over compositional variations. Effective atomic number reached 69-73 at low energies, approaching lead and confirming heavy-metal-equivalent behavior. These bismuth borosilicate glasses, particularly S3, represent promising environmentally friendly alternatives to lead-based shielding for medical imaging facilities, combining exceptional low-energy attenuation with non-toxic composition and rare earth compatibility.
| Apply for student award at which level: | MSc |
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| Consent on use of personal information: Abstract Submission | Yes, I ACCEPT |