A comparative investigation of neutron and gamma radiation interaction properties of zircaloy-2 and zircaloy-4 with consideration of mechanical properties

Abstract

This study has established the radiation shielding efficacy of zircaloy-2 and zircaloy-4 over a wide spectrum of energy levels. Using the Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) method, the gamma and neutron transmission factors (TF and nTF) were calculated for various energy levels. Zircaloy-2 demonstrated the highest gamma-ray absorption capacity and the lowest neutron absorption capacity among the investigated alloys. The results indicate that zircaloy-2 and zircaloy-4 have nearly the same neutron transmission characteristics. Although many studies have examined the structure and physical characteristics of these materials, there has been a lack of Monte Carlo simulations to comprehensively investigate the correlation between gamma absorption, neutron absorption parameters, and mechanical qualities. This research aims to examine the ability of zirconium and its zircaloy-2 and zircaloy-4 alloys, which are critical materials used in the nuclear industry, to absorb gamma and neutron radiation over a broad spectrum of frequencies. According to the results, zircaloy-2 has the best ability to absorb secondary gamma rays and the highest level of resistance to them. Despite the minimal disparity in the nTF between the two alloys, simulation results have shown that zircaloy-2 has a higher level of neutron transmittance. These results have the potential to expedite the development of novel materials with enhanced attributes for various applications.