The Role of Ytterbium (Yb2O3) in the Radiation Shielding Properties of Barium Titanium Borate Glasses (B2O3-TiO2-BaO) in Terms of γ and β Radiations

Barium titanium borate glasses doped with ytterbium with the chemical composition of B2O3-TiO2-BaO-Yb2O3 are described as shields exhibiting excellent performance for β and γ applications. This study used the Phy-X and XCOM codes and the GEANT4 toolkit to calculate and simulate the gamma attenuation factors in a 0.02-MeV to 15-MeV range. From the linear attenuation coefficient and mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) values, the half-value layer (HVL), tenth value layer, mean free path (MFP), effective atomic number (Zeff), electronic cross-section, and atomic cross-section have been determined. In addition, the energy absorption build-up factors and exposure build-up factors values of glass samples were estimated for the energy spectrum spans from 0.02 MeV to 15 MeV and penetration depths up to 40 MFP. Additionally, we analyzed the heaviness (H%) of the selected samples, utilizing this crucial metric as a fundamental parameter to comprehend the distinctive properties of diverse materials. Furthermore, we determined the radiation protection efficiency (RPE), and observed that it is prominent at lower energies, gradually decreasing as the energy level rises. Incorporating Yb3O2 resulted in an augmentation of the RPE values, thereby enhancing the shielding capabilities of the glass system. The ESTAR program assessed the β-shielding action of the inspected glasses by determining the total stopping power (TSP) and the continuous slowing down approximation (CSDA) range. The findings indicate that the incorporation of ytterbium positively impacts the density, consequently enhancing the shielding proficiency, of the sample against β- and γ-rays. In BTBaY4 glass, the variant with the greatest concentration of Yb2O3 exhibits the greatest values for MAC, Zeff, and the most minimal HVL. Moreover, this type of glass has low concentrations of Yb2O3 and is free from lead materials, but shows good shielding properties.