Radiation Shielding Properties of Alkaline and Mixed Alkaline Lithium Aluminoborate Glasses

Lithium aluminoborate glasses modified with alkaline earth oxides were investigated to evaluate their radiation shielding performance following earlier structural and physical characterizations. The mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) was theoretically determined using both Phy‐X and WinXCom software, with consistent agreement observed between the two methods. Additional shielding parameters, including half‐value layer (HVL), tenth‐value layer (TVL), mean free path (MFP), and effective atomic number (Zeff), were also calculated. The prepared glasses demonstrated relatively low HVL, TVL, and MFP values, indicating effective attenuation of ionizing radiation. The fast neutron removal cross‐section (FNRCS) was further evaluated and compared to reported data for glass systems, ordinary concrete, graphite, and other conventional shielding materials. Within the studied series, Ba‐modified glasses exhibited favorable γ‐ray shielding characteristics, whereas Sr‐modified glasses provided the highest FNRCS values, underscoring their potential as promising candidates for neutron shielding applications.