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Updated: Jul 8, 2026

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Negative Additive Manufacturing of Complex Shaped Boron Carbides
Published on: September 18, 2018
Novel PdO-modified borate glasses with improved radiation shielding and mechanical features
Yasser B Saddeek1, Albandari Alosaimi1, Nouf M S Alharbi2
1Department of Physics, College of Science, Majmaah University, Zulfi, 11952, Saudi Arabia.
Summary
Novel palladium oxide-borate glasses offer enhanced mechanical strength and gamma-ray shielding. These lead-free glasses are a practical choice for radiation protection in medical and nuclear applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Nuclear Engineering
Background:
- Development of novel glass materials for radiation shielding is crucial.
- Lead-based glasses pose environmental and health risks.
- Borate glasses are explored as potential alternatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize novel palladium oxide-borate (PdO-borate) glasses.
- To investigate the effect of PdO concentration on glass properties.
- To evaluate the radiation shielding capabilities of these new glasses.
Main Methods:
- Melt-quenching technique for glass synthesis.
- X-ray diffraction (XRD) for structural analysis.
- Ultrasonic pulse-echo method for elastic moduli determination.
- Phy-X/PSD and NIST-XCOM for radiation shielding parameter calculations.
Main Results:
- Amorphous PdO-borate glasses were successfully synthesized.
- Density and elastic moduli (Young's and bulk) increased with PdO content.
- Improved gamma-ray attenuation was observed, with reduced half-value layer.
- Radiation shielding calculations showed minimal deviation from established models.
Conclusions:
- PdO-borate glasses exhibit promising mechanical and radiation shielding properties.
- A glass with 2 mol% PdO shows enhanced performance, suitable for lead-free applications.
- These glasses represent a viable alternative for medical and nuclear radiation protection.

