Fusible alloys: A potential candidate for gamma rays shield design

The efficient use of gamma isotopes as tracer elements in medical field for diagnosis and radiotherapy emphasises the need of protecting healthy organs/tissues using appropriate shielding materials. Keeping in mind the ease of fabricating different shield structure as per the requirement, some fusible alloys composed of 48Cd, 49In, 50Sn, 82Pb and 83Bi in different proportions were chosen. The shielding effectiveness of these fusible alloys were compared and analysed in terms of different parameters viz. density (ρ), mass attenuation coefficient (μm), effective atomic number (Zeff), electron density (Ne), mean free path (mfp), half value layer (HVL), tenth value layer (TVL) and exposure buildup factor. All the selected fusible alloys possess higher values for density, effective atomic number and lower values for melting points, mean free path and exposure buildup factors.