Multicomponent Ge-As-Te-Pb chalcogenide glasses for radiations shielding applications

Phy-X/PSD online program is used to obtain various radiation shielding indices in a photon energy region located between 0.15 and 15 MeV for Ge25-As10-Te65-x-Pbx (x = 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 at %) chalcogenide glasses. The linear attenuation coefficient LAC, mass attenuation coefficients MAC, effective atomic number Zeff, effective electron density Neff, half-value layer, HVL, tenth value layer TVL, mean free path MEF, energy absorption and exposure buildup factors (EABF, EBF), and fast neutron cross section FNRCS have been introduced. The findings conclude that the LAC and MAC measurements are greater and therefore better than commercial and traditional glasses. Also, it was found that HVL, TVL, and MFP were reduced with the addition of Pb to the tested glasses, which improve the shielding characteristics. Zeff and Neff of the compositions under study were varied as (42.58- 59.75) and (2.36-3.09 x 1023 electrons/g) respectively. A reduction was noticed in EBF and EABF values with the increment of Pb concentration in the investigated glasses at the entire photon energies, at all values of MFP that emphasize the enhancement of shielding properties of these glasses with the addition of lead. NRCS were found to be changed between 0.87 and 0.095 Cm-1 as Pb content varies from 0.0 to 0.01 respectively
that let these glasses considered to be better as neutrons shield than some ordinary and commercial glasses.