Evaluation of physical and radiation shielding properties of Bi2O3–B2O3 glass doped transition metals ions

Abstract

Bismuth borate glasses of formula 60% Bi2O3 and 40% B2O3 doped 0.7 wt % of one of the transition metal oxides; TiO2, Cr2O3, V2O5 or Fe2O3 were prepared using melting-annealing method. The glasses optical transmittance spectra have been studied and reveal UV transmission bands related to the different valence states of the doped transition metal ions. Electrical conductivity and many physical parameters of the glasses were also investigated such as; optical bandgap (Eopt), refractive index (n), reflection loss (RL), molar refractivity (Rm), molar polarizability (αm), dielectric constants (ε), optical transmission coefficient (T) and metallization criterion (M Criterion).The effectiveness of the glasses as radiation protective shield was evaluated and calculated by Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport Code (MCNP) using the Medical Internal Radiation Dose (MIRD) of male human model. Many shielding parameters have been also deliberated such as; linear attenuation coefficient, effective removal cross section (ΣR), radiation protective efficiency (RPE %), tissue weighting factors (Wt), in addition to a comparison between the experimental and the simulated linear gamma attenuation coefficients at numerous energies. The glasses reveal high stable optical and physical properties in addition to high radiation shielding efficiency against gamma irradiation. The high concentration of heavy Bi3+ ions and presence of transition metal ions with their variable configurations, provide the shielding behavior of the glasses and decreased the life time risk for cancer by about five times.