Gamma radiation shielding characteristics of some nitrides: a Monte–Carlo simulation study

Nitride-based materials have attracted attention for high-temperature and radiation-resistant applications; however, their gamma-ray shielding capability has not been systematically quantified across a wide photon energy range. This study assessed the shielding effectiveness of various nitrides-zirconium nitride (ZrN), boron nitride (BN), titanium nitride (TN), tungsten nitride (WN), and zinc nitride (Zn3N2)-against gamma radiation using the Geant4, Mont–Carlo simulation toolkit. Key parameters calculated included the linear attenuation coefficient (μ), mean free path (MFP), half-value layer (HVL), and tenth-value layer (TVL) across 0.015–15 MeV. The mass attenuation coefficient was validated with the NIST-XCOM program, showing a maximum relative deviation of 0.5%, confirming the simulation's reliability. Among the investigated materials, WN (ρ = 15.624 g cm−3) and ZrN (ρ = 7.09 g cm−3) exhibited the highest photon attenuation performance due to their higher atomic number and density. The exposure buildup factor (EBF) and energy absorption buildup factor (EABF) were also calculated. Boron nitride and titanium nitride exhibited the highest MFP, HVL, and TVL values, while tungsten nitride and zirconium nitride had the lowest. EABF values peaked at lower energies and decreased with increasing energy. The maximum EABF values followed the order ZrN (>1018) > WN (>1013) > BN (>105) > TiN (>103) > Zn3N2 (>102) at high penetration depths. The superior shielding performance of WN and ZrN is attributed to their high-Z constituents and compact crystal structures, which increase photon interaction probability and energy absorption. The results reveal that zirconium nitride and tungsten nitride exhibit superior radiation shielding performance owing to their higher atomic numbers and densities, making them highly suitable for high-energy radiation applications such as reactor shielding and medical radiation protection.