Comparison of ITO and ZnO ternary glassy composites in terms of radiation shielding properties by Monte Carlo N-particle transport code and BXCOM.

In the present study, radiation shielding properties of two glassy composite materials that are widely used in electronics, photovoltaic applications, and sensor technology, were investigated in the photon energy range from 15 keV to 15 MeV. The materials chosen were (ITO)/VO/BO and ZnO/VO/BO including various concentrations of BO. Radiation interaction was simulated and shielding parameters calculated by means of the MCNP and BXCOM codes. More specifically, buildup factors, effective electron density ([Formula: see text]) and effective atomic number ([Formula: see text]) were calculated with BXCOM, while mass attenuation coefficients ([Formula: see text]), half-value layer (HVL) and tenth-value layer (TVL) values were calculated with MCNP. The results were compared with those obtained with the WinXCOM code, for validation. Acceptable and preferable results were obtained for both composites as alternative to other glassy shielding materials. The composite including ITO showed better shielding properties than the composite including ZnO. In terms of radiation shielding, both composites turned out to be better than concrete and close to lead.