Investigation of the Effect of GeO₂ Concentration on Radiation and the Mechanical Properties of Lead-Free Zinc–Borate–Lithium Glasses

Abstract— Germanium is a relatively high-atomic-number material and has relatively high neutron capture cross-section values. By taking advantage of these properties, the gamma-ray and neutron shielding parameters and mechanical properties of zinc–borate–lithium glasses were determined by infusing GeO₂ concentrations from 1 to 4 mol %. The photon interaction parameters such as mass attenuation coefficient, half and tenth value layer, mean free path, effective atomic number, buildup factors, and neutron interaction parameters such as fast neutron removal cross sections were estimated using Phy-X/PSD software. It is found that effective atomic number and equivalent atomic number values increase with an increase in GeO₂ concentrations in the selected glasses, and mean free path values are lower than ordinary concrete and RS-253-G18. The effectiveness of shielding parameters such as buildup factors shows a broader distribution at lower mean free path and a narrower distribution at higher mean free path, peaking at 0.5 MeV of gamma energy. The neutron interaction parameters, such as fast neutron removal cross section values, decrease with an increase in the concentration of GeO₂ in the selected glass. The mechanical parameters, such as the elastic moduli of selected glasses, show a decrease in value with an increase in mol % of GeO₂. The relationship between elastic moduli and fast neutron removal cross section is observed for the first time.