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Ulexite-Galena Intermediate-Weight Concrete As a Novel Design for Overcoming Space and Weight Limitations in the Construction of Efficient Shields Against Neutrons and Photons Publisher Pubmed



Aghamiri SMR1 ; Mortazavi SMJ2, 3 ; Razi Z4 ; Moslehshirazi MA5 ; Baradaranghahfarokhi M6 ; Rahmani F7 ; Faeghi F8
Authors
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Authors Affiliations
  1. 1. Radiation Medicine Department, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
  2. 2. School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
  3. 3. The Center for Radiological Research, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
  4. 4. Department of Radiology, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  5. 5. Center for Research in Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Physics Unit, Radiotherapy Department, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
  6. 6. Medical Physics and Medical Engineering Department, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
  7. 7. Radiation Application Department, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
  8. 8. Radiology Department, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Source: Radiation Protection Dosimetry Published:2013


Abstract

Recently, due to space and weight limitations, scientists have tried to design and produce concrete shields with increased attenuation of radiation but not increased mass density. Over the past years, the authors' had focused on the production of heavy concrete for radiation shielding, but this is the first experience of producing intermediate-weight concrete. In this study, ulexite (hydrated sodium calcium borate hydroxide) and galena (lead ore) have been used for the production of a special intermediate- weight concrete. Shielding properties of this intermediate-weight concrete against photons have been investigated by exposing the samples to narrow and broad beams of gamma rays emitted from a 60Co radiotherapy unit. Densities of the intermediate-weight concrete samples ranged 3.64-3.90 g cm-3, based on the proportion of the ulexite in the mix design. The narrow-beam half-value layer (HVL) of the ulexite-galena concrete samples for 1.25 MeV 60Co gamma rays was 2.84 cm, much less than that of ordinary concrete (6.0 cm). The Monte Carlo (MC) code MCNP4C was also used to model the attenuation of 60Co gamma-ray photons and Am-Be neutrons of the ulexite-galena concrete with different thicknesses. The 60Co HVL calculated by MCNP simulation was 2.87 cm, indicating a good agreement between experimental measurements and MC simulation. Furthermore, MC-calculated results showed that thick ulexite-galena concrete shields (60-cm thickness) had a 7.22 times (722 %) greater neutron attenuation compared with ordinary concrete. The intermediate-weight ulexite- galena concrete manufactured in this study may have many important applications in the construction of radiation shields with weight limitations such as the swing or sliding doors that are currently used for radiotherapy treatment rooms. © The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press.
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