Study of Gamma-Ray Attenuation Coefficients of Some Glasses Containing CdO

Abstract

Iron–phosphate glasses containing heavy metal cations are important material, especially when used to attenuate γ-ray and / or fast neutrons. Therefore, some glasses had been prepared, having the composition [(70 mol % P2O5. 15 mol % Na2O. 15 mol % Fe2O3) + x CdO, where 0 ≤ x ≤ 30 mole]. The melting temperature was 1200 ºc and the annealing temperature was 300 ºc. The obtained solid glasses were then examined from γ-ray attenuation point of view, where both the linear and mass attenuation coefficients were studied for varying amounts of CdO and different γ-ray energies emitted from 60Co, 137Cs and 152Eu radio-active sources. It was found that as CdO was gradually increased, the linear and mass attenuation coefficients increased gradually, while the half value layer decreased. On the other hand both linear and mass attenuation coefficients decreased and the half value layer increased as the energy of the incident γ-ray increased. Finally it can be concluded that these composition glasses can be used as good γ-ray shield especially at low gamma-ray energies.