Exploring elastic mechanics and radiation shielding efficacy in neodymium(III)-enhanced zinc tellurite glasses: A theoretical and applied physics perspective

The present work scrutinizes the radiation protection features and mechanical characteristics of neodymium zinc-tellurite of composition [(TeO۲)۷۰-(ZnO)۳۰]۱-x –(Nd۲O۳)x: x= ۰-۵ mol% in steps of ۱ (TZNd۱ – ۵). The Makishima–Mackenzie's model was adopted for the computation of the Poisson's ratio (PR) and elastic moduli. WinXcom and EXABCal software's were performed to evaluate the radiation shielding parameters and buildup factors, respectively of TZNd-glasses. Results revealed that the increasing of Nd۲O۳ concentration in TZNd-glasses from ۱ to ۵ mol% had a positive effect on their elastic parameters: Young's modulus increased from ۵۳.۱۳ to ۵۴.۸۱GPa, bulk modulus changed from ۳۱.۹۵-۳۳.۶۵ GPa, and the PR varied from ۰.۲۲۲ to ۰.۲۲۸ for TZNd۱ to TZNd۵. There was a small increase in the Z/A as the Nd content increased, which leads to slight increase in TMSP of the particles. The mass attenuation coefficient increased in the order TZNd۱< TZNd۲< TZNd۳ < TZNd۴ < TZNd۵. The maximum value of LAC obtained at ۱۵ keV were ۲۴۶, ۲۴۹, ۲۵۳, ۲۵۷, and ۲۶۰ cm-۱ for TZNd۱, TZNd۲, TZNd۳, TZNd۴, and TZNd۵, respectively. The HVT varies inversely with the linear attenuation coefficient. Throughout the considered energy spectrum the range of   for the glasses varied from ۲۲.۶۵ – ۴۰.۲۲, ۲۲.۶۴ – ۴۰.۲۵, ۲۲.۶۴ – ۴۰.۲۹, ۲۲.۶۳ – ۴۰.۳۲, and ۲۲.۶۳ – ۴۰.۳۶ for TZNd۱, TZNd۲, TZNd۳, TZNd۴, and TZNd۵, respectively. The values of fast neutron removal cross section  showed a steady increase as the partial densities of Nd and oxygen of the TZNd-glass systems increased. Generally, one can conclude that the additive of Nd۲O۳ to TeO۲-ZnO glasses leads to enhance their mechanical properties and increase their ability to absorb neutron and photon to apply in nuclear medicine applications.

کلیدواژه ها:

Mechanical features ، tellurite ، Radiation protection ، WinXcom ، EXABCal code