FTIR, optical, and thermal studies of cadmium borate glass doped with Bi2O3 and effects of gamma irradiation

Abstract

Bi2O3-doped glasses from CdO-B2O3 glasses were prepared by the melt-annealing method. Optical and FTIR spectroscopic properties of the prepared glasses were measured before and after gamma irradiation (dose 6 M rad). The undoped glass reveals distinct UV absorption within the spectrum of the undoped glass and extended to visible peaks upon the increase of the dopant Bi3+ ions. The extended identified UV to visible absorption is related to absorption of both trace Fe3+ ions and Bi3+ ions. Fourier transform IR spectra of the prepared glasses reveal distinct and composite vibrational bands within the wavenumber range 400–1650 cm−1 indicating the presence of both triangular and tetrahedral borate groups within their specific different wavenumbers and supporting the assumption of the role of CdO to convert some of the BO3 groups to BO4 groups. The introduction of Bi2O3 shows interfered vibrational bands due to additional structural BiO6 and BiO3 groups within their characteristic sites at about 450–480 cm−1 and 860–920 cm−1 and is assumed to be mixed or interfered with the two coordinated borate species. The effect of gamma irradiation on the optical spectra differs between the undoped and Bi2O3-doped glasses showing some shielding behavior in the latter Bi2O3-containing samples.