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Abstract In this work, an attempt is made to improve the electrochemical corrosion resistance of Zircaloy-4 by helium ions implantation. For this purpose, the Zircaloy-4 was implanted with 300 keV helium ions of fluences 1 × 1013, 1 × 1015, and 1 × 1016 ions-cm−2 by using Pelletron Accelerator. Electrochemical tests of pristine and ion-implanted samples were performed in NaCl solution and their potentiodynamic polarization curves were obtained. The results showed enhancement of the corrosion resistance of Zircaloy-4 after helium ions implantation. The corrosion rate and current density of the material were significantly reduced by the helium implantation. The decrease in corrosion parameters was attributed to helium ions diffusion inside Zircaloy-4 that reduced the electrons flow from the samples.

Gamma radiation shielding features for three series of binary alloys identified as (Pb–Sn), (Pb–Zn), and (Zn–Sn) have been investigated. The mass attenuation coefficients (μ/ρ) for the selected alloys were simulated using the MCNP-5 code in the energy range between 0.01 and 15 MeV. Moreover, the (μ/ρ) values were computed using WinXCOM database in the same energy range to validate the simulation results. Results reveal a good agreement between the simulated and computed values. The half value layer (HVL), mean free path (MFP), effective atomic number (Zeff) and exposure buildup factor (EBF) were evaluated for the selected binary alloys. Results showed that the PS1, PZ1, and ZS2 alloys have the best shielding parameters and better than the commercially standard and available radiation shielding materials. Therefore, the investigated alloys can be used as effective radiation shielding materials against gamma ray with energies between 0.01 and 15 MeV. © 2021 Korean Nuclear Society.

Abstract Rare earth doped barium tellurite glasses were synthesised and explored for their radiation shielding applications. All the samples showed good thermal stability with values varying between 101 °C and 135 °C based on dopants. Structural properties showed the dominance of matrix elements compared to rare earth dopants in forming the bridging and non-bridging atoms in the network. Bandgap values varied between 3.30 and 4.05 eV which was found to be monotonic with respective rare earth dopants indicating their modification effect in the network. Various radiation shielding parameters like linear attenuation coefficient, mean free path and half value layer were calculated and each showed the effect of doping. For all samples, LAC values decreased with increase in energy and is attributed to photoelectric mechanism. Thulium doped glasses showed the highest value of 1.18 cm−1 at 0.245 MeV for 2 mol.% doping, which decreased in the order of erbium, holmium and the base barium tellurite glass, while half value layer and mean free paths showed an opposite trend with least value for 2 mol.% thulium indicating that thulium doped samples are better attenuators compared to undoped and other rare earth doped samples. Studies indicate an increased level of thulium doping in barium tellurite glasses can lead to efficient shielding materials for high energy radiation.

Ten gizzard and three flesh samples of the broiler were collected from different locations in Tehsil Gujar Khan District Rawalpindi, Pakistan. The samples were dried, crushed and ground. Pellets were prepared by pressing the powder of the samples and that of the Bovine liver 1577c reference material obtained from NIST, USA. Proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) installed at National Center for Physics, Islamabad, Pakistan has been used as a reliable and improved technique to determine concentration of various major/trace and toxic elements e.g. S, Cl, K, Ca, Cl, Fe, Cu, Mn, Co, Zn, Ti, Cd, Ga, Cr, V and Ni, in the Gizzard and Flesh samples of the broiler. The concentrations of all the detected elements in the samples are statistically significant. The certified and measured values of the elements in the reference material were in agreement with each other within a deviation of 7%. S, Cl, K and Ca are within tolerable limits and are good for human consumption. Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn were more than the acceptable limits of World Health Organization, WHO whereas Ga, As, Sn, Sb and Pb are not detected in most of the samples. Keywords: Major/minor minerals, Trace elements, PIXE, Broiler gizzard, Broiler flesh, Permissible limits

Abstract In this paper, the EPICS2017 photoatomic database was used to evaluate the photon mass attenuation coefficients and buildup factors of soils collected at different depths in the Philippine islands. The extraction and interpolation of the library was accomplished at the recommended linear-linear scales to obtain the incoherent and total cross section and mass attenuation coefficient. The buildup factors were evaluated using the G-P fitting method in ANSI/ANS-6.4.3. An agreement was achieved between XCOM, MCNP5, and EPICS2017 for the calculated mass attenuation coefficient values. The buildup factors were reported at several penetration depths within the standard energy grid. The highest values of both buildup factor classifications were found in the energy range between 100 and 400 keV where incoherent scattering interaction probabilities are predominant, and least at the region of predominant photoionization events. The buildup factors were examined as a function of different soil silica contents. The soil samples with larger silica concentrations were found to have higher buildup factor values and hence lower shielding characteristics, while conversely, those with the least silica contents have increased shielding characteristics brought by the increased proportions of the abundant heavier oxides.

Abstract This investigation explores the thermally stratified stretchable flow of an Oldroyd-B material bounded by a linear stretched surface. Heat transfer characteristics are addressed through thermal stratification and heat generation/absorption. Formulation is arranged for mixed convection. Application of suitable transformations provides ordinary differential systems through partial differential systems. The homotopy concept is adopted for the solution of nonlinear differential systems. The influence of several arising variables on velocity and temperature is addressed. Besides this, the rate of heat transfer is calculated and presented in tabular form. It is noticed that velocity and Nusselt number increase when the thermal buoyancy parameter is enhanced. Moreover, temperature is found to decrease for larger values of Prandtl number and heat absorption parameter. Comparative analysis for limiting study is performed and excellent agreement is found.

Abstract The aim of this work is to study the radiation shielding properties of cement samples with waste glass incortated into its composition. The mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) of the samples were experimentally determined to evaluate their radiation shielding ability. The experimental coefficient was evaluated using NaI detector for gamma energies between 59.53 keV and 1408.01 keV using different radioactive point sources Am-241, Eu-152, Co-60, and Cs-137, and the gamma transmission parameters half-value layer, mean free path, and transmission factor were calculated. The theoretical coefficient of the composites was determined using Geant4 and XCOM software. The results were also compared against Geant4 and XCOM simulations by calculating the relative deviation between the values to determine the accuracy of the results. In addition the mechanical properties (including Compressive and porosity) as well as the thermogravimetric analysis were tested for the present samples. Overall, it was concluded that the cement sample with 50% waste glass has the greatest shielding potential for radiation shielding applications and is a useful way to reuse waste glass.

Abstract Achieving sustainable development requires an increasing share of green technologies. World energy demand is expected to rise significantly especially in developing economies. The increasing energy demands will be entertained with conventional energy sources at the cost of higher emissions unless eco-friendly technologies are used. This study examines the asymmetric effects of nuclear energy on carbon emissions for Pakistan from 1974 to 2019. Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) and Phillips Perron (PP) unit root tests suggest that variables are integrated of order one and bound test of Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) and nonlinear ARDL confirm a long-run relationship among selected variables. The ARDL, Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS), and Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS) results show that the coefficient of nuclear energy has a negative and significant impact on emissions in both short and long run. Further, the NARDL finding shows that there exists an asymmetric long-run association between nuclear energy and CO2 emissions. The vector error correction method (VECM) results indicate that there exists a bidirectional causal relationship between nuclear energy and carbon emissions in both the short and long run. Additionally, the impact of nuclear energy on ecological footprint has been examined and our findings remain robust.