Experimental and FLUKA simulation study of CdO /Al₂O₃ cement waste marble composites for nuclear radiation shielding

Nuclear Radiation shielding materials are essential in various industries, especially nuclear power, medical imaging, and space exploration. This research delves into the exploration of radiation shielding efficacy by infusing cement and waste marble composites with micro and nanoparticles of Cadmium Oxide (CdO) and Aluminum Oxide (Al₂O₃), focusing on key parameters such as half value layer (HVL), tenth value layer (TVL), linear attenuation coefficient (LAC), and mass attenuation coefficient (MAC). These composites show potential in enhancing the shielding performance due to the unique properties of the nanoparticles. We systematically characterize the structural, morphological, and radiation-shielding properties of the composites through experimentation. In addition to the Absorption buildup factor (EABF) was held in this study to help in enhancing the shielding material as it is an important parameter. The outcomes demonstrated that the CdO-Al₂O₃ particle addition enhanced the composites' radiation shielding capabilities. Raising the weight% (Wt.%) of CdO-Al₂O₃ particles improved the efficiency of the shield. The outcomes also showed that nano-sized CdO-Al₂O₃ particles outperformed micro-sized particles in radiation shielding. The work shows the potential of CdO- Al₂O₃ doped cement-waste Marble matrix composites for applications including shielding against gamma radiation. This study correspondingly investigates the shielding capabilities using the FLUKA Monte Carlo code. The simulation employed a wide range of photon and neutron energies, up to 100 and 20 MeV respectively. The results show the effectiveness of the introduced composite in attenuating both gamma rays and neutrons, highlighting their potential applications in radiation shielding.