Samarium-doped geopolymers (G-xS) are a novel blend in advanced materials science, which combines geopolymers' eco-friendly properties with samarium's versatile properties. This study evaluated the neutron and gamma radiation shielding properties of G-xS through systematic computation and analysis of some vital shielding parameters like Linear Attenuation Coefficient (LAC), Mass Attenuation Coefficient (MAC), Half Value Layer (HVL), Mean Free Path (MFP), and Effective Atomic Number (Zeff), and fast neutron removal cross-section (FNRCS) of the material using PHITS and XCOM programs at different photon energies. Results show that the MAC values for G-5S, G-10S, and G-20S are 9.6904, 12.8918 and 17.8161 g/cm2 and the FNRCS values of G-5S, G-10S, and G-20S are 0.06976, 0.06995, and 0.07323 cm−1 respectively. The relative deviation between PHITS and XCOM programs is below 1.2%, a testament to the degree of accuracy of the programs. The MFP values also increase with increasing Samarium content, suggesting that more Sm addition enhances geopolymers' gamma-rays and fast neutrons attenuation capability. Therefore, G-20S, having shown the highest gamma-ray and fast neutron shielding properties, should be considered an alternative to traditional shielding glasses for radiation protection applications, particularly in nuclear, medical, and space environments where effective shielding is critical.
Alrowaili et al. (Fri,) studied this question.