Influence of magnetite and boron carbide on radiation attenuation of cement–fiber/composite

Trial was made to create composites from agriculture fibers, which have good mechanical, physical and radiation attenuation properties for different applications. Fast neutron and gamma ray spectra, as well as, slow neutron fluxes behind samples of cement–fiber (CF) (ρ=2.095 g cm−3) and cement–fiber–magnetite (CFM) (ρ=2.858 g cm−3)/composites have been investigated. Neutron and gamma spectra have been measured using a collimated reactor beam and neutron- gamma spectrometer with stilbene scintillator. A pulse shape discrimination technique based on zero cross over method was used to discriminate between neutron and gamma ray pulses. While, slow neutron fluxes have been measured using a collimated reactor beam and BF3 counter. Results were used to achieve removal cross sections (ΣR,meas.), total attenuation coefficients (μ) and macroscopic cross sections (Σ) of fast neutrons, gamma rays and slow neutrons respectively from the attenuation relations. Also, removal cross sections (ΣR, cal.) and total mass attenuation coefficients (μ/ρ) of fast neutrons and gamma rays have been calculated using the composites elemental composition and XCOM code respectively. Measured and calculated results were compared and a reasonable agreement was found.