Enhancing Radiation Shielding with Gadolinium(III) Oxide in Cerium(III) Fluoride‐Doped Silica Borate Glass

This study investigates the radiation shielding properties of glass samples within the xGd 2 O 3 ‐5SiO 2 ‐40Na2O‐(54.5‐x) B 2 O 3 :0.5CeF 3 composition, where x varies from 0 to 10 mol.%, which is coded as GSNBCX ( X = 1, 2, 3, and 4). The assessment is done through comprehensive Monte Carlo simulation and Phy‐X/PSD software analyses. The primary objective of this study is to comprehensively evaluate the radiation shielding properties of glass compositions with varying Gd 2 O 3 concentrations. This evaluation encompasses both the attenuation of gamma radiation within the broad energy range of 0.015 MeV to 15 MeV and the assessment of fast neutron removal cross sections, with a specific focus on simulations spanning energy levels from 0.5 to 10 MeV. By examining these parameters, we aim to elucidate the impact of Gd 2 O 3 concentration on the material’s overall effectiveness in radiation shielding applications. The results reveal a significant variation in the mass attenuation coefficient ( μ m ) across the investigated glass samples. For instance, μ m values range from 3.244 to 0.019 cm 2 ·g −1 for GSNBC1, 20.471 to 0.025 cm 2 ·g −1 for GSNBC2, 27.245 to 0.027 cm 2 ·g −1 for GSNBC3, and 32.223 to 0.029 cm 2 ·g −1 for GSNBC4. Notably, GSNBC4, characterized by a substantial Gd 2 O 3 concentration (10 mol.%), exhibits the highest values of both μ m and linear attenuation coefficient ( μ ). Furthermore, the investigation delves into the fast neutron removal cross section (FNRCS), which displays values of 0.97, 0.95, 0.094, and 0.93 cm −1 , respectively. GSNBC1, marked by its elevated B 2 O 3 content (54.5 mol.%), showcases the highest FNRCS. These findings underscore the efficacy of Gd 2 O 3 ‐doped materials in shielding against gamma rays, holding promise for various applications in radiation protection, particularly in the medical and nuclear sectors. This study contributes valuable insights into developing effective radiation‐blocking materials for diverse industrial and scientific contexts.