Radiation shielding properties of Cd-Bi-Pb-Zn-borate glasses: influence of Bi2O3 activation

We report the detail characterizations and gamma-radiation protecting characteristics of some new types of cadmium (Cd)-bismuth (Bi)-lead (Pb)-zinc (Zn)-borate glasses of the form (70-x)B2O3-10ZnO-10PbO-10CdO-xBi(2)O(3) (with x = 0 to 20 mol%) synthesized via melt-quenching process. The influence of various Bi2O3 contents on the gamma-radiation shielding traits of the obtained glass samples was evaluated by exposing them at different gamma-ray energies (0.356, 0.662, 1.173, and 1.33 MeV) which were recorded by the NaI detector. XRD analyses of the as-quenched specimens showed their glassy phase. A comparison between theoretically computed (Phy-X and XCOM software) and experimentally measured various shielding parameters of the glass samples were performed. Irrespective of the Bi2O3 contents, the values of the mass attenuation coefficient, effective atomic number and effective electron density of the prepared glass samples were reduced with the increase of gamma-ray energies. Furthermore, the theoretically calculated values of all the shielding parameters were agreed well with the measured ones. Regardless of the gamma-ray energy exposures, the shielding capacity of the studied glasses was improved with the increase of Bi2O3 doping contents. The proposed glass compositions were asserted to be useful for the gamma-ray absorber applications.