Evaluating the Effectiveness of Tellurium-Molybdenum Oxide Glass Systems for Radiation Shielding Protection

1. Introduction

    Nuclear technology has ushered in a new era of innovation, profoundly influencing human activities across multiple sectors, including medical therapeutics, agricultural practices, research diagnostics, industrial applications, and sustainable energy generation through nuclear reactors. The advent of such diverse applications has underscored the criticality of identifying and utilizing suitable shielding materials to safely contain the various forms of radiation emanating from these technologies. In particular, within the operational environments of nuclear reactors, there is an essential need for materials that can effectively insulate against both gamma rays and neutrons [1–3]. Concrete has been the material of choice for radiation shielding due to its widespread availability and relative effectiveness. However, the protective quality of concrete is inherently limited by its hydrophilic nature. Fluctuations in moisture content can compromise its structural integrity, leading to variations in strength and density that diminish its shielding capacity [4]. Despite offering reasonable levels of protection, traditional shielding materials, such as concrete, metals, polymers, and even lead, encounter limitations due to thermal instability, susceptibility to compositional changes, lack of transparency, and a constrained scope of utility.

In the quest for more versatile shielding solutions, the industry focuses on developing transparent materials that can offer robust defense against gamma and X-rays. Such materials are in high demand within nuclear medicine and diagnostic imaging [5–7]. Addressing this need, the production process has been geared towards glass systems that integrate high levels of transparency with efficient absorption of radiation gases [8]. Glasses enriched with heavy metal oxides, notably lead oxide (PbO), are increasingly favored for such applications. This preference is attributed to their inherent properties, such as high polarizability, lower melting points, and superior refractive indices, in addition to their transparency, and chemical and thermal robustness [9].

In pursuing advancing radiation protection technologies, this investigation employs FLUKA simulation and Phy-x/PSD simulation software to meticulously evaluate the radiation shielding characteristics of newly developed glass models. The study focuses on determining the glass models' performance in several key shielding capacities, including gamma mass attenuation coefficient (G_MAC), linear attenuation coefficient (G_LAC), half-value layer (G_HVL), mean free path (G_MFP), tenth value layer (G_TVL), and effective atomic number (Z_eff) [10–12]. The spotlight of current research interest is on the Tellurium–Molybdenum Oxide Glass (Te-Mo glass) systems, which are being examined for their potential as superior radiation shields. This burgeoning interest is propelled by the urgent necessity for effective radiation protection materials that are not only technologically adept in providing exceptional shielding against harmful radiation but also maintain their beneficial attributes amidst the escalating advancements in medical imaging, energy production, and aerospace exploration.

2. Materials and Method

2.1. Materials

The study conducted a theoretical examination of the gamma-ray (γ-ray) shielding capabilities of four different glass materials. These materials are identified by their chemical compositions: 50% tellurium dioxide (TeO₂) and 50% molybdenum trioxide (MoO₃), 60% TeO₂ and 40% MoO₃, 70% TeO₂ and 30% MoO₃, and 80% TeO₂ and 20% MoO₃ [13]. For convenience, these compositions are abbreviated as 50Te, 60Te, 70Te, and 80Te, respectively. Computational analyses were performed on these materials to evaluate various γ-ray shielding characteristics. Details about these glass samples, including their assigned codes, densities, and molar volumes, are provided in Table 1.

The table describes a study focusing on the efficiency of certain glass materials in shielding against γ-rays. The materials are mixtures of tellurium dioxide and molybdenum trioxide in varying proportions. Each material's effectiveness in γ-ray shielding could be influenced by its composition, as the density and molar volume of the glass are likely to impact its shielding performance. The density of the materials appears to increase as the proportion of TeO₂ increases, suggesting that a higher concentration of TeO₂ in the glass composition results in a denser material. This trend could be relevant for γ-ray shielding since denser materials generally provide better attenuation of high-energy photons like γ-rays.

Conversely, the molar volume decreases as the TeO₂ content increases, which correlates with the increasing density – as density increases, molar volume typically decreases, given that molar volume is a measure of the volume occupied by one mole of a substance. The incremental changes in the glass composition reflected by the glass code from 50Te to 80Te indicate a systematic variation in the materials' properties, which are likely being studied to understand how these variations affect γ-ray shielding efficiency. The research might be looking to optimize glass compositions for the most effective γ-ray shielding, balancing between density, molar volume, and potentially other factors like cost, durability, and ease of manufacture.

Table 1. The Chemical Composition and Density(g/cm³) of Investigated Glass Samples.