The examination of the shielding capabilities of Zn compounds

This study experimentally and theoretically investigates the gamma-ray and neutron attenuation properties of six zinc-based materials: ZnF2, ZnCl2, ZnO, ZnSO4, ZnCO3, and metallic Zn. Experimental measurements were carried out using an Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) system equipped with a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector, while theoretical mass attenuation coefficients were obtained from Epixs program for comparison. The samples were irradiated with 59.5 keV photons from Am-241 and Ba-133 sources, as well as with gamma-ray beams of 80.99, 276.39, 302.85, 356.01, and 383.84 keV. A good agreement between experimental and theoretical results was achieved, with relative deviations remaining within a few percent, confirming the reliability and low uncertainty of the measurements. The results demonstrate that zinc-based materials exhibit strong gamma-ray attenuation, particularly at low photon energies dominated by the photoelectric effect. At 59.5 keV, Zn (1.921 cm2/g), ZnCl2 (1.100 cm2/g), ZnF2 (1.261 cm2/g), ZnSO4 (0.996 cm2/g), and ZnCO3 (1.161 cm2/g), with the highest MAC value observed for ZnO (1.672 cm2/g). Compared to ZnSO4, ZnO shows an approximately 68 % higher mass attenuation coefficient at this energy. Among the zinc compounds, ZnO presents the lowest HVL and MFP values, indicating the most efficient gamma-ray shielding, mainly due to its higher density (5.61 g cm−3) and effective atomic number. EABF (gamma-ray absorption buildup factors) and EBF (exposure buildup factors) were also calculated for the energy range 0.015–15 MeV up to a depth of 15 MFP. For most compounds, the differences between EABF and EBF values are limited to a factor of several tens. For photon energies below 0.15 MeV, EABF and EBF values increase as the effective atomic number (Zeff) of the samples decreases.The fast-neutron shielding capability was also evaluated. ZnCO3 exhibits the highest removal cross-section (ΣR) at 0.1312 cm−1, whereas ZnCl2 shows the lowest ΣR value at 0.0636 cm−1. Overall, the study highlights that ZnF2, ZnCl2, ZnO, ZnSO4, ZnCO3, and zinc-based materials are suitable candidates for radiation shielding applications. Zinc compounds offer advantages such as low toxicity, easy availability, and cost-effective production, making them well-suited for applications requiring moderate levels of radiation shielding.