Radiation shielding analysis using EPICS2017 and mechanical property characterization of zinc boro-tellurite alumina glasses

The mechanical and gamma radiation shielding properties of the B₂O₃-TeO₂-Al₂O₃-ZnO-MgO-Li₂O glass system were investigated. In the glass matrix, TeO₂ was substituted for B₂O₃ in amounts ranging from 10 to 60 mol%. The glasses had Young's modulus of 45–87 GPa, a bulk modulus of 32–77 GPa, a shear modulus of 18–33 GPa, and a longitudinal modulus of 56–121 GPa. The role of TeO₂ in transforming bridging oxygens into non-bridging oxygens was established by the decreasing elastic moduli and increasing molar volume with successive TeO₂ additions. EpiXs software was used to investigate the changes in the mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) with varying photon energy and TeO₂ content. The ratio of the mean free path (MFP) of the glasses with the lowest and highest TeO₂ contents at various energies was investigated. The glass with the highest content of TeO₂ had the smallest half-value layer (HVL) and tenth value layer (TVL), making it the best attenuator of all samples evaluated. The radiation shielding parameters of the titled glass system were compared to those of various similar glass systems, and the results indicated that the titled glass system may be used in radiation shielding.