Dualistic influences of Pr3+ ions on the optical and radiation shielding characteristics of alumina bismuth – Sodium phosphate glasses

Abstract

Using a standard melt quenching technique, alumina bismuth-sodium phosphate glasses doped with Pr2O3 were synthesized. The amorphous character of these glasses was confirmed by the XRD spectrum. The impact of Pr2O3 on optical and radiation-shielding characteristics has also been studied and linked to the structure. The optical characteristics show a decrement of the optical band gap from 3.72 to 3.48 eV, and an increment of the refractive index along with a clear red shift with the addition of Pr2O3 content. The refractive index of Pr2O3-based glasses was estimated with the help of the glass electronegativity (Δχ) and Eg values. The increment of Pr2O3 increases the mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) values and decreases the half-value layer (HVL) values, which improves the shielding ability of the manufactured glasses. The strongest interactions between photons and glass atoms occurred at about 100 keV, which causes the glass samples to exhibit remarkable photon-blocking characteristics, according to the effective atomic number (Zeff) data. The radiation shielding variables led to the finding that glass containing 2 mol% Pr2O3 provides better results among the samples that were synthesized.