Computational study of γ-ray and fast neutron shielding efficacy of (70–x)B₂O₃ – 5TeO₂ – 20SrO – 5ZnO – (x)Bi₂O₃ glass systems using Phy-X/PSD, XCOM and GEANT-4

This study investigated the LAC, MAC, half-value thickness, tenth-value thickness, mean free path, Z_eff, N_eff, FNRCS, EBF, and EABF of a glass composition (70-x)B₂O₃ –5TeO₂ – 20SrO – 5ZnO – (x)Bi₂O₃, with x ranging from 0 to 15 mol%. Sample S5 showed the lowest HVT, TVT, and MFP and the highest MAC, LAC, Z_eff, and N_eff across 300 keV–15 MeV, indicating enhanced γ-ray shielding with higher Bi₂O₃ content in narrow-beam applications. However, EBF and EABF decreased with Bi₂O₃ at 0.5 and 1 MeV, but increased at 10 MeV, indicating improved shielding only at low and intermediate energies in broad-beam scenarios. Sample S4 exhibited the highest FNRCS and best neutron shielding efficiency. The comparison of our results with the literature revealed that S5 and S4 are, respectively, even more superior, in shielding γ radiation and neutrons than some of the glass materials that have been recently investigated in the literature. Therefore, in γ-ray shielding applications, incorporating Bi₂O₃ into the glass matrix is advisable primarily for narrow-beam conditions, and for broad-beam scenarios at intermediate energies, but not at high energies in broad-beam contexts.