Radiation Detection Technology and Methods (2018) 2:44 https://doi.org/10.1007/s41605-018-0075-x ORIGINAL PAPER Investigation of modified zinc borate glasses doped with BaO as a nuclear radiation-shielding material H. A. Saudi 1 · S. U. El-Kameesy 2 Received: 22 April 2018 / Revised: 13 August 2018 / Accepted: 14 August 2018 © Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Nuclear Electronics and Nuclear Detection Society and Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2018 Abstract Background Radiation protection and detection have been a main interest for researchers. The prepared glass samples were subjected to experimental investigations to evaluate their mechanical and attenuation properties. As a consequence, the values of the mass attenuation coefficient, total electronic cross section, the effective atomic number and an effective electron number were determined and utilized to assess the shielding effectiveness of the investigated glass samples. The mass attenuation coefficients of these samples were calculated theoretically using WinXcom program. Purpose Preparation of glass of borate with zinc and barium can withstand shock, heat and corrosion to be used as a radiation shield. Methods Glass samples were prepared by melt quenching technique. Density and molar volume measurements were obtained by applying the Archimedes principle. The hardness was measured by using a microhardness tester (Leco AMH 100, USA) for sample indentation. The thermal behavior of the glass samples was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Also, by using a scintillator detector (1.5 ′′ × 1.5 ′′ NaI (Tl)) exposed to 232 Th, 137 Cs and 60 Co gamma ray sources with accuracy range 0.12%. Results The investigated glasses have relatively good gamma ray attenuation properties, water resistance ability and thermal stability with increasing barium oxide. So, they can be used in containers for keeping radioactive waste and radioactive sources. Conclusion The changes in the molar volume and density show approximately opposite linear trends. Also, μm is dependent on the chemical compositions of glass samples and energy of gamma rays. Good agreement between the experimentally obtained mass attenuation coefficient values and the corresponding theoretical predictions based on the known WinXcom program was observed. Additionally, the effect of gamma irradiation on this glass is minor because its impact on the hardness values and dissolution rate is extremely small. Keywords Borate glasses · Shielding properties · Hardness · Durability Introduction Today, developing materials which might be employed in the environment of high radiation exposure has become one among the foremost vital analysis areas. These materials will play a good role in industrial, medical, engineering B H. A. Saudi heba_saudi@hotmail.com; heba_saudi@azhar.edu.eg 1 Department of Physics, Faculty of Science (Girls’ Branch), Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt 2 Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt and lots of different scientific applications. There is invari- ably a requirement to develop material, which might be used under laborious conditions of nuclear radiation exposure and may act as a shielding material. Additions of high-atomic- number components with the acknowledged quantitative relation of the amorphous mixture fashioned glass produce an honest shielding properties material. Glassy materials, which might be modified through their chemical composi- tion additionally to their high optical transmission, became appropriate to be used as shielding materials for nuclear radi- ation [1]. Borate glass may be a form of glass with the most glass-forming constituent that is an elemental chemical com- pound that is one among the foremost vital glass formers 0123456789().: V,-vol 123