Microstructure and Gamma Radiation Shielding Capabilities of a Quaternary Zirconium-Based Ceramic Glass System for Radiation Shielding

Abstract

Zirconium (Zr)-based ceramic glasses are highly valued for their exceptional mechanical strength and chemical stability. Their remarkable durability and strong resistance to acid corrosion make them promising candidates for radiation protection applications. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to evaluate the microstructure and gamma radiation shielding capabilities of a quaternary zirconium-based ceramic glass system (xZrO₂–yTiO₂-xB₂O₃-wSiO₂) for radiation shielding prepared via the melt-quenching method. The resulting samples were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and radiation shielding was assessed with WinXCOM at various photon energies.  Results showed that 70ZrO₂–10TiO₂–10B₂O₃–10SiO₂ (ZR-D), with a density of 4.44 g/cm³, exhibited the highest Mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) values of 10.47 cm²/g at 0.015 MeV and 0.021 cm²/g at 15 MeV and should be considered for radiation shielding applications where mechanical strength and chemical stability of the shielding material are very important.