Mechanical, structural, and radiation shielding characteristics for transparent boro-tellurite glasses modified with strontium and bismuth oxide ratios

Abstract

In this investigation, a new transparent boro-tellurite glass series modified with strontium oxide and differing ratios of bismuth oxide was synthesized to explore the radiation shielding ability. The mechanical and physical features were checked theoretically. At the same time, the structure for fabricated glasses was investigated by Raman spectra, thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). According to Raman spectra results, the prominent peaks displayed enhancing and shifting to lower wavenumber from 774 cm−1 for TBSB0 to 751 cm−1 for TBSB20 with adding Bi2O3 instead of TeO2. XRD proved the amorphous nature of all glass samples. In contrast, TGA explored the thermal stability by studying the weight loss for TBSB0 and TBSB20 that are 1.6264 % and 0.3198 % at 1000 °C, respectively. The inclusion of Bi2O3 as opposed to TeO2 resulted in a density enhancement from 4.3200 to 5.6900 g/cm3, packing density (Vt) from 0.4221 to 0.4715, and mass attenuation coefficient (μm, at 184 keV) from 0.2921 to 0.7185 cm2/g. On another side, experimental evaluation of the radiation shielding properties was conducted, and the μm values were compared with XCOM data. The theoretical and experimental relative difference was in the 0.445–5.974 % range. The direct relation between Bi2O3 concentrations and radiation shielding properties is obvious. TBSB20 sample showed the highest radiation shielding capacity compared with other fabricated glasses. These results indicate the ability to use the fabricated glasses in the radiation shielding field.