Determination of attenuation coefficient of low carbon steel resulting from 1 mBar pressure nitriding and Pb sputtering

The level of gamma radiation blocking of a material is determined by the magnitude of the attenuation value. The greater the attenuation value, the higher the blockage rate. Materials from low carbon steel have a certain attenuation coefficient. This attenuation coefficient can be increased by nitriding and sputtering the material. The increase in the attenuation value is possible due to the insertion of nitrogen atoms as well as lead atoms on the surface during the nitriding and sputtering process. The method used in this study was plasma nitriding at 1 mBar pressure followed by sputtering. Plasma nitriding was carried out on samples with time variations of 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, 4 hours, and 5 hours. Furthermore, the nitrided samples were subjected to sputtering treatment for 40 minutes. All samples including raw materials were subjected to gamma radiation from a Co-60 source and the radiation count was detected using a Geiger Muller detector. From the radiation count before and after passing through the sample, the attenuation coefficient of each sample can be determined. The results of this study are the attenuation value for the raw material, the attenuation value for the nitrided sample, and the attenuation value of the nitrided sample followed by sputtering. The attenuation value of the raw material is 0.1211/mm. The attenuation values of the 1 h, 2 h, 3 h, 4 h, and 5 h nitrided samples were 0.1228/mm, 0.1239/mm, 0.1241/mm, 0.1247/mm, and 0.1266/mm, respectively. The attenuation values of the 1 h, 2 h, 3 h, 4 h, and 5 h nitrided samples followed by 40 min Pb sputtering were 0.1267/mm, 0.1272/mm, 0.1273/mm, 0.1289/mm, and 0.1329/mm, respectively. (author)