Abstract
X-rays and neutrons, vital in numerous industries, necessitate effective shielding to mitigate health risks. Traditional shielding materials like lead and concrete pose issues such as toxicity and structural limitations. This has driven global research towards exploring non-toxic heavy metal oxide glass materials for enhanced radiation protection. This study examined the impact of Bi 2 O 3 on the radiation shielding efficiency of a glass composition (x)Bi 2 O 3 – (20 – x)BaO – 60Fe 2 O 3 – 0.3SrO – 19.7B 2 O 3 , with x values of 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 mol%, over the 15 to 300 keV X-ray range. The Linear Attenuation Coefficient (LAC) of this glass series increased by 12%, 1.7%, and 13% in the energy ranges of 15 − 30 keV, 40 − 80 keV, and 100 − 300 keV, respectively, per 1 mol% Bi 2 O 3 increase. The Half Value Layer (HVT), Tenth Value Layer (TVT), and Mean Free Path (MFP) decrease by 4% per mol% of Bi 2 O 3 at energies less than 40 keV and above 100 keV, while decreasing at a rate of 1% in the 40 − 100 keV region. Sample S1, without Bi 2 O 3 , exhibited the lowest shielding efficiency, while sample S5, with the highest Bi 2 O 3 content, demonstrated the highest shielding efficiency. Increasing Bi 2 O 3 concentration notably improves X-ray shielding efficacy, especially below 40 keV and above 100 keV.