Barium and calcium borate glasses as shielding materials for x-rays and gamma-rays

Values of the γ-ray, mass attenuation coefficient and the effective atomic number have been determined experimentally for xBaO.(1-x)B₂O₃ (x=0.24, 0.30, 0.34, 0.40 and 0.44) and xCaO.(1-x)B₂O₃ (x=0.30 and 0.40) glasses at photon energies 356, 511, 662, 1173, and 1332 keV. It is pointed out that these glasses are potential radiation shielding materials. The specific volume of the glasses has been derived from density measurements and studied as a function of composition.