Gamma radiation shielding studies on highly dense barium bismuth borate glasses

Transparent dense barium bismuth borate (BBB) glasses in ternary x(BaO-Bi2O3)-(1-x)B2O3 system, with x = .15, .25, .35, and .45, were prepared by the melt-quenching process. Density of the glasses increased to 7.145 g/cm(3) with increasing BaO-Bi2O3 content. Gamma radiation shielding performance of the glasses was estimated by studying mass attenuation coefficients (MAC) and effective atomic numbers, using XCOM software as a function of photon energy. Subsequently, experimental MAC values of the glasses were measured using Eu-152 and Co-60 sources by the radiation transmission method. Measured and calculated MAC values of the glasses were in close agreement. Equivalent atomic numbers, exposure, and energy absorption buildup factors were analyzed at different mean free paths and photon energies using Phy-X software. Dense glasses exhibited large effective atomic numbers and radiation shielding characteristics comparable with the dense heavy metal oxide glasses. Effective atomic numbers of the glasses were found to be close to the heavy metallic elements (Pb, W, and Hf) at low gamma energies. Radiation shielding ability of the glasses is discussed by comparing with the recently reported radiation shielding glasses and conventional shielding materials. Lead-free and dense transparent BBB glasses in the present study can be effective in radiation shielding for radiological applications.