Highly transparent Gd3TaO7 ceramics: Novel neutron and gamma dual-shielding window

Advanced nuclear plants demand shielding windows for in situ monitoring and robust shielding against gamma (γ) and neutron (n) radiation. However, existing windows lack simultaneous γ/n attenuation and sufficient fracture toughness, hindering practical deployment. To address this, a novel Gd 3 TaO 7 transparent ceramics (GTO-TCs) for an efficient n and γ dual-shielding window is proposed and demonstrated. The developed GTO ceramic window exhibits high optical transmittance (78% at 2000 nm) and excellent mechanical properties (Hv and K IC are 9.61 GPa and 2.60 MPa·m 1/2 , respectively). Significantly, the GTO ceramic presents a γ-ray linear absorption coefficient of 0.34 for over 90% γ attenuation from 60 Co at 5.8 cm thickness, coupled with Monte Carlo verified full thermal n attenuation (<0.4 eV) at merely 2 mm. The developed GTO window possesses excellent n and γ dual-shielding properties, robust fracture toughness, and has promising prospects for service in extreme nuclear environments.