Fabrication, structural, optical, physical and radiation shielding characterization of indium (III) oxide reinforced 85TeO2-(15–x)ZnO-xIn2O3 glass system

Abstract

This work aimed to evaluate the structural, optical, and physical features of several types of glasses based on 85TeO2-(15–x)ZnO-xIn2O3 (x = 2, 4, 6, and 8 mol%) system. As a result, five different samples were synthesized utilizing the melting-annealing technique. The Archimedes method was used to calculate the densities of the synthesized glasses. The structural, optical, physical, and radiation interaction characteristics of the sample were determined using XRD investigations, Raman spectra, and advanced modelling methods, producing optical band gap, refractive index, and Urbach energy values. The glass densities increased from 5.6091 g cm−3 to 5.6754 g cm−3 by increasing In2O3 reinforcement from 2 to 8 mol %. Urbach energies increased consistently from 0.1399 to 0.1439 eV as In2O3 concentration increased, apart from a drop to 0.1345 eV at x = 8. The optical transmittance and absorption characteristics altered nearly monotonically with increasing In2O3 ratios, showing that these characteristics may be estimated and controlled using In2O3 additive. By substituting ZnO with In2O3 within the structure, the optical band gap was dramatically enlarged. Additionally, at simulated energies greater than 0.02 MeV, the gamma-ray mass attenuation coefficient grows monotonically with In2O3 reinforcement. As a result, it can be stated that the high concentration In2O3 to TeO2–ZnO glass combination is a good synergetic tool for integrating structural, optical, and radiation properties.