Effect of La2O3 Additive on the Radiation Shielding Properties of Cobalt-doped Borate Glasses

Abstract

Radiation protection becomes a necessary action in radiology, Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy and other institutions which make use of radiation. The aim of this work is to evaluate the radiation protection features of cobalt-doped borate glass with La₂O₃ additive. The glasses named here as S1, S2, S3, S4 and S5 with 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 mol% of La₂O₃ respectively were assessed for their Linear Attenuation Coefficient, LAC, Mass Attenuation Coefficient, MAC, Half value Layer, HVL and Effective Atomic Number Z_eff. We found that the glasses have LAC, MAC and Z_eff higher than ordinary concrete and Ilmenite concrete, especially S3 which has the concentration of 1 mol% of La₂O₃ and has lowest HVL at lower energies below 0.1 MeV and above 4 MeV than the other samples, and also found that S5 with 2 mol% of La₂O₃ is more advantageous for energy range 0.1 - 4 MeV. We therefore concluded the applicability of these glasses for radiation shielding and that the addition of La₂O₃ increases their radiation protection features.