Harnessing zirconia and boron synergy: A novel pathway to superior radiation shielding materials

This pioneering work presents a novel approach for manufacturing B-doped ZrO2, creating in-situ ZrB2O5 within the ZrO2 matrix. A cost-effective hydrothermal synthesis using zircon mineral yields a material with exceptional radiation shielding properties. Incorporating B into the ZrO2 lattice combines ZrO2's gamma attenuation with B's neutron shielding against ionizing radiation. XRD, SEM, and EDX characterization revealed structural properties, phase compositions, and elemental distributions. Monte Carlo simulation and XCOM theoretical modeling investigated B atoms' role in shielding parameters across 0.0332–2.506 MeV γ-ray energies. Results show increased B concentration slightly decreases shielding properties while enhancing mechanical properties including crystallite size, lattice distortions, and dislocation density. B concentration increases from 2.1 to 5.4 wt% decrease LAC values to 65.959–58.613 cm-1 (0.0332 MeV), 0.464–0.461 cm-1 (0.511 MeV), and 0.208–0.270 cm-1 (2.506 MeV). B concentration up to 5.4 wt% enhances mechanical properties without significantly affecting radiation shielding, especially at intermediate energies.