A Computational Study of Zr ₂ Co Alloy Doped with Pb, Tl, Sn, In, Ga, and Al Elements for Radiation-Shielding Applications

In nuclear reactor environments, effective radiation-shielding materials are essential to ensure safety, prevent radiation leakage, and maintain system integrity. Traditional shielding materials often present limitations such as poor mechanical properties or high toxicity. Zr2Co-based alloys have gained attention due to their excellent mechanical strength, corrosion resistance, and potential radiation-shielding capabilities. However, optimizing their gamma radiation–attenuation properties could be enhanced through selective doping with posttransition elements. This study theoretically evaluated the gamma radiation attenuation characteristics of Zr2Co-based alloy separately doped with Pb, Tl, Sn, In, Ga, and Al elements for application in nuclear reactor radiation protection using the WinXCOM computer program. The mass attenuation coefficient (MAC), effective atomic number, mass energy-absorption coefficient, specific gamma ray constant, effective electron density (Neff), gamma dose rate, energy absorption buildup factor, and exposure buildup factor were evaluated for all alloys. From the result, Zr2CoTl gave the highest MAC of 86.8984 cm2/g at 0.015 MeV and 0.0457 cm2/g at 15 MeV, closely followed by Zr2CoPb. The higher values of MAC observed in the two alloys are connected to their higher atomic numbers. Therefore, considering the already-established excellent mechanical properties, good corrosion resistance, and moderate radiation-shielding properties of Zr2Co-based alloys. Zr2CoPb and Zr2CoTl alloys are recommended for reactor interior fabrication to prevent radiation diffusion into the reactor coolant.