Calculation of the Effects of Silver (Ag) Dopant on Radiation Shielding Efficiency of BiPbSrCaCuO Superconductor Ceramics Using EGS4 Code

In the current study, the effects of silver (Ag) additive on the radiation shielding efficiency of BiPbSrCaCuO superconducting ceramics was calculated using the EGS4 code and discussed theoretically by comparison with XCOM data. The mass attenuation coefficients (µ/ρ) for BiPbSrCaCuO superconductor ceramics and their contents were investigated theoretically (WinXcom and EGS4) at gamma-ray energies ranging from 59.5 to 1332 keV. The theoretical values were computed in the energy range from 1 keV to 100 MeV using the WinXcom program. Then, using the mass attenuation coefficients, some shielding parameters were determined, such as the mean free path (MFP), the half value layer (HVL), the effective atomic number (Zeff), the radiation protection efficiency (RPE), the macroscopic fast neutron removal cross-sections (ΣR, cm−1) and the gamma-ray kerma coefficients (kγ). Theoretically, the results obtained with XCOM and EGS-4 were found to be in good agreement. The radiation shielding efficiency (RPE), neutron removal cross-section (ΣR, cm−1), maximum and semi-valent layer (HVL), and mean free path (MFP) values were found to be smaller for BiPbSrCaCuO superconducting ceramics as the silver (Ag) contribution was increased. Data from this study can guide further research and development of shielding materials for gamma-ray and neutron shielding.