White and some colored marbles as alternative radiation shielding materials for applications

ABSTRACT

In this paper, the radiation shielding parameters such as linear attenuation coefficients (LAC, µ), mass attenuation coefficients (MAC, µ/ρ), effective atomic numbers (Z_eff), effective electron densities (N_eff), half value of layers (HVL), mean free paths (MFP) and buildup factors (exposure (EBF) and energy absorption (EABF)) were investigated for cream (M1), pink (M2), white (M3), maroon (M4) and green (M5) marbles. Attenuation coefficients were measured in the energy region 31.18–661.66 keV photon energies. The values of Z_eff and N_eff were then calculated using these coefficients with logarithmic interpolation method, and HVLs and MFPs were calculated using the values of LAC of marble samples at the same photon energies. The experimental results were compared with the theoretical values obtained from WinXCom program, and good agreements were observed between the experimental and theoretical results. HVLs and MFPs of all marble samples were compared with those of some concretes, glasses and commercial radiation shielding glasses (SCHOTT Co.). The studied marbles were better radiation shielding materials than standard shielding concretes due to lower HVL and MFP values lower than the ordinary concrete. Finally, EBFs and EABFs of the marbles were calculated in the energy region 0.015–1?MeV up to penetration depths of 40 mfps by Geometric Progression method (G-P), and the results were discussed in terms of photon energies and chemical compositions of the marbles.     

Investigation of neutron spectrum emitted from 44 GeV C+Cu interactions with nuclear emulsion

The Energy Spectrum of fast neutrons produced in 44 GeV ¹²C+Cu interactions has been measured and analysed with nuclear emulsion of 8 cm in length, 2.2 cm in width and 400 μm in thickness made in China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing, China. The irradiation of the emulsion was carried out at the accelerator SYNCHROPHASOTRON of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, Russia. The neutron spectrum was obtained through measuring the recoil protons in emulsion and the track parameters of particles from interactions of ¹²C(n,n′)3 in emulsion. The experimental neutron spectrum was compared with the results of a Monte-Carlo calculation, which shows that the shapes of both neutron spectra are identical within the limits of their statistical accuracy.     

A comparative study of gamma-ray interaction and absorption in some building materials using Zeff-toolkit

The gamma-ray shielding behaviour of a material can be investigated by determining its various interaction and energy-absorption parameters (such as mass attenuation coefficients, mass energy absorption coefficients, and corresponding effective atomic numbers and electron densities). Literature review indicates that the effective atomic number (Z_eff) has been used as extensive parameters for evaluating the effects and defect in the chosen materials caused by ionising radiations (X-rays and gamma-rays). A computer program (Z_eff-toolkit) has been designed for obtaining the mean value of effective atomic number calculated by three different methods. A good agreement between the results obtained with Z_eff-toolkit, Auto_Z_eff software and experimentally measured values of Z_eff has been observed. Although the Z_eff-toolkit is capable of computing effective atomic numbers for both photon interaction (Z_eff,PI) and energy absorption (Z_eff,En) using three methods in each. No similar computer program is available in the literature which simultaneously computes these parameters simultaneously. The computed parameters have been compared and correlated in the wide energy range (0.001–20?MeV) for 10 commonly used building materials. The prominent variations in these parameters with gamma-ray photon energy have been observed due to the dominance of various absorption and scattering phenomena. The mean values of two effective atomic numbers (Z_eff,PI and Z_eff,En) are equivalent at energies below 0.002?MeV and above 0.3?MeV, indicating the dominance of gamma-ray absorption (photoelectric and pair production) over scattering (Compton) at these energies. Conversely in the energy range 0.002–0.3?MeV, the Compton scattering of gamma-rays dominates the absorption. From the 10 chosen samples of building materials, 2 soils showed better shielding behaviour than did other 8 materials.     

高离化态离子及其光电离过程基本特征的理论研究

在Dirac-Slater相对论理论框架下,研究了HCI(高离化态离子)的基本性质及其光电离过程的基本特征.通常HCI的电场非常强,其电子波函数沿靠近核的径向空间被压缩,这极大地改变了相应的物质的性质,使HCI的光电离过程与一般的原子(离子)的相比较有很大的不同:原子核的尺寸效应和相对论效应变得更加重要,而多极效应对光电离截面的影响却趋于减弱.     

高离化态离子及其光电离过程基本特征的理论研究

在Dirac-Slater相对论理论框架下,研究了HCI（高离化态离子）的基本性质及其光电离过程的基本特征. 通常HCI的电场非常强,其电子波函数沿靠近核的径向空间被压缩,这极大地改变了相应的物质的性质,使HCI的光电离过程与一般的原子（离子）的相比较有很大的不同：原子核的尺寸效应和相对论效应变得更加重要,而多极效应对光电离截面的影响却趋于减弱.     

Variation of gamma radiation shielding properties with incident photon energy and penetration depth for WC/Al composites

In this work, we examined the usefulness of the WC_x/Al_100?x composites (x?=?10, 20, 50, 80 wt. %) for gamma-ray shielding materials. The mass attenuation coefficient (μ/ρ), effective atomic number (Z_eff), electron density (N_e) and energy absorption buildup factor (EABF) and exposure buildup factor (EBF) for WC_x/Al_100?x composites have been calculated by theoretical approach using XCOM program within the energy range 1?keV–100?GeV, 10 keV–1?GeV, 10 keV–1?GeV and 0.015?MeV–15?MeV, respectively. The results showed that both the values of mass attenuation coefficient and Z_eff of the WC_x/Al_100?x composites tend to increase with the increase of the WC concentration. For the energy region below 3?MeV, the WC₈₀/Al₂₀ composite was found to possess superior gamma-ray shielding effectiveness due to its higher values of both mass attenuation coefficient and effective atomic number, and lower values of both EABF and EBF values. However, for the energy region above 3?MeV, the EBF and EABF values of the WC/Al composites are directly proportional to their Z_eff values, leading to the lowest EBF and EABF values of the WC₁₀/Al₉₀ composites.     

A coarse-grained model of the effective interaction for charged amino acid residues and its application to formation of GCN4-pLI tetramer

ABSTRACT

We present a simple coarse-grained model of the effective interaction for charged amino acid residues, such as Glu and Lys, in a water solvent. The free-energy profile as a function of the distance between two charged amino acid side-chain analogues in an explicit water solvent is calculated with all-atom molecular dynamics simulation and thermodynamic integration method. The calculated free-energy profile is applied to the coarse-grained potential of the effective interaction between two amino acid residues. The Langevin dynamics simulations with our coarse-grained potential are performed for association of a small protein complex, GCN4-pLI tetramer. The tetramer conformation reproduced by our coarse-grained model is similar to the X-ray crystallographic structure. We show that the effective interaction between charged amino acid residues stabilises association and orientation of protein complex. We also investigate the association pathways of GCN4-pLI tetramer.     

低速高电荷态离子40Ar16+与云母表面作用中的电子发射研究

报道了由兰州ECR源提供的低速高电荷离子40Ar16 入射到云母表面产生的电子发射的实验测量结果.结果发现,电子发射产额Y与离子入射角ψ有近似1/tanψ的关系.基于经典过垒模型,我们对这一关系进行了理论分析.实验结果和理论结果相当符合,这就间接说明势能电子发射是低速高电荷态离子作用于表面发射电子的一个主要途径.     

中子管用潘宁离子源氢负离子产生机理及实验研究

为了克服目前潘宁(PIG)离子源中子管引出正离子所带来的诸多不利因素,使用PIG型氢负离子源作为中子管的离子源,研究了氢负离子产生的机理,以期在中子管中获得应用。给出了PIG离子源结构,根据氢负离子产生的方式和条件,结合CST软件仿真实验,确定在对阴极和引出孔附近区域存在氢负离子,而且是氢负离子密度比较大的区域。实验中,通过负离子源产生系统证实了氢负离子的存在及分布规律,中子监测仪测量自成靶50 mm负离子源陶瓷中子管,中子产额较传统正离子中子管高出一个数量级以上。