Highly energy gamma-radiation shielding properties of lead-free B2O3+Na2O+BaO+WO3 transparent glass system

The traditional melt-and-quench method was adopted for the synthesis of a range of many component transparent borate glasses having the structural representation: 75B2O3 - 5Na2O - (20-x)BaO - xWO3 (where x = 0 (BNBW1), 3 (BNBW2), and 10 (BNBW3) mol%). The prepared glasses were characterized for density and gamma-ray interaction prowess using the Archimedes' technique and the Monte Carlo simulation of narrow gamma-ray beam transmission, respectively. The glass density decreased from 2.94 gcm-3 (BNBW1) to 2.53 gcm-3 (BNBW3) when WO3 increased from 0 to 10 mol%. The ranges of mass attenuation coefficient were 0.0265-21.3424 cm2g-1 for BNBW1, 0.0272-26.5048 cm2g-1 for BNBW2, and 0.0288-37.5426 cm2g-1 for BNBW3. Based on the attenuation coefficients and other evaluated attenuation parameters, the addition of WO3 at the expense of BaO into the glass structure improved the photon interaction cross-section of the glasses. In addition, the interaction of the glasses with photons was likened to that of elements having atomic numbers between 9 and 57, for energies below 15 MeV. At 15 keV and 15 MeV, the mass energy absorption coefficients were 19.9620 and 0.0186 cm2/g for BNBW1, 23.9787 and 0.0189 cm2/g for BNBW2, and 32.5667 and 0.0197 cm2/g for BNBW3. Considering the photon buildup factors, it was concluded that thicker WO3-rich glasses had higher photon buildup abilities. Compared to existing glass shields, the BNBWx glasses are effective and environmentally friendly alternatives for personnel or public shielding applications in research, medicine, and other fields requiring transparent shields.