Radiation shielding properties of low-density Ti-based bulk metallic glass composites: a computational study

• Published in: Physica scripta Vol. 98; no. 3; pp. 35003 - 35015
• Main Authors: Subedi, Basanta, Lamichhane, Tika Ram
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: IOP Publishing 01-03-2023
• Subjects: attenuation coefficients; buildup factors; bulk metallic glasses (BMGs); effective atomic number; Phy-X/PSD; radiations shielding; SRIM
• ISSN: 0031-8949; 1402-4896
• DOI: 10.1088/1402-4896/acb623

Bulk metallic glasses (BMGs), a new class of structural and functional materials with unique physical and chemical features like high corrosion resistance, high yield strength, low elastic modulus, and transparency to visible light, indicate they could be potential shield against unwanted radiations. This study presents an attempt to investigate radiation shielding efficiencies of a few titanium (Ti)-based BMGs with low densities of range 4.43–5.15 g/cm
3
. Different shielding properties viz., attenuation coefficients (
μ
m
and
μ
), half and tenth value layers (HVL and TVL), mean free path (
λ
), effective atomic number (Z
eff
), buildup factors (EBF and EABF), and fast neutron removal cross-section (Σ
R
) were evaluated in 0.015 − 15 MeV energy range using Phy-X/PSD software. The interaction of charged particles (i.e., H
1
and He
+2
ions) with BMG samples was investigated in terms of mass stopping power (MSP) and projected range (PR) by deploying Monte Carlo-based SRIM software. The five-parametric geometric-progression (G-P) fitting method was employed to calculate EBF and EABF, whereas Z
eff
values were calculated through atomic to electronic cross-section ratio. Further, obtained results were compared with two conventional shielding materials: lead (Pb) and heavy concrete (StMg). We found that among 8 BMGs, sample Ti
41.9
Zr
36.3
V
12.1
Cu
6.3
Be
3.4
(S
1
) with the lowest Ti and highest Zr-composition by mass (41.9% and 36.3%, respectively) exhibited the best gamma-rays, fast neutrons, and H
1
/He
+2
ions shielding characteristics with the highest
μ
m
(0.02–15 MeV),
μ
(0.015−0.2 MeV), Z
eff
(0.015–0.06 MeV) and Σ
R
. These values were higher than that of StMg, but lower than those of Pb. Moreover, S
1
exhibited the lowest values of HVL, TVL, and
λ
in 0.015 − 0.2 MeV region for gamma-rays and also has the lowest MSP and PR values for H
1
/He
+2
ions. However, the lowest EBF and EABF values belonged to BMG S
1
in intermediate energy region (0.1−2 MeV) only. But, the sample Ti
90
Al
6
V
4
(S
7
) was the worst among all BMGs and StMg. Thus, low-density Ti-based BMGs have better performances towards gamma-rays, fast neutrons, and H
1
/He
+2
ions shielding and hence the potential to replace conventional StMgs and toxic Pb-based materials.