Radiation shielding performance of rare earth element-doped concrete against gamma rays, neutrons, and charged particles

This study investigates the interactions of rare earth elements (REEs) with gamma rays, electrons, protons, alpha particles, and neutrons, focusing on their potential in radiation shielding. The effect of incorporating REEs into concrete at varying ratios (5-30%) on shielding performance was examined. Key parameters such as mass attenuation coefficient (MAC), linear attenuation coefficient (LAC), mean free path (MFP), and half-value layer (HVL) were calculated using GATE/Geant4 and XCOM programs. Additionally, mass stopping power, radiation yield, and fast neutron removal cross-section (FNRCS) were determined using MRCsC, SRIM, and ESTAR. Neutron shielding behaviors for fast, slow, and thermal neutrons were assessed through simulations employing plastic scintillation detector in the GATE/Geant4 Monte Carlo. Results indicate that Lu-doped concrete significantly improves shielding capability, especially for slow and fast neutrons, while maintaining comparable performance for thermal neutrons. These findings emphasize its potential as an efficient and versatile material for neutron attenuation across various energy ranges. These findings indicate that Lu-added concrete offers superior shielding performance against gamma rays and especially neutrons, making it a potential material for critical applications with high radiation exposure, such as nuclear energy and medical radiotherapy.