Er2O3 effects on photon and neutron shielding properties of TeO2-Li2O-ZnO-Nb2O5 glass system

[Display omitted] •The μ/ρ and other related parameters such as Zeff, Nel HVL, MFP, TVL as well as EBF have been found apparently depend on both incident photon energy and chemical compositions constituting glass.•The insertion of Er2O3 content leads to an increase of μ/ρ.•Neutron shielding effectiveness of the TLZNE glasses enhance with the addition of rare metal oxide to the glass.•TLZNE6 appears as best gamma ray and neutron shielding glass. In this study, a series of 75TeO2-5Li2O-10ZnO-(10-x)Nb2O5-(x)Er2O3 (where x = 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.8 mol%) glasses have been surveyed in terms of photon and neutron shielding characteristics. For this aim, 3 × 3 inch NaI(Tl) detector has been simulated in order to detect photons. Afterwards, the mass attenuation coefficients (μ/ρ) and some shielding quantities such as half-value layer (HVL), tenth value layer (TVL), mean free path (MFP), effective atomic number (Zeff), effective electron density (Nel), equivalent atomic number (Zeq) and exposure build-up factor (EBF) have been calculated. The obtained MCNPX results of all the glasses have been compared and approved with those of XCOM program. Also, their gamma ray buildup factors have been determined in a wide energy range of 0.02–20 MeV for penetration depths up to 15 mfp. Moreover, neutron attenuation abilities of glasses have been evaluated by estimating neutron total effective removal cross section. The results showed that Er2O3 partial replacement of Nb2O5 in 75TeO2-5Li2O-10ZnO-(10- x)Nb2O5-(x)Er2O3 glass system enhances photon and neutron attenuation characteristics. It can be deduced that obtained results from the present investigation can be useful to understanding of influence of Er2O3 on nuclear radiation shielding properties of tellurite glasses.