Novel vanadyl lead-phosphate glasses: P2O5–PbO–ZnO[sbnd]Na2O–V2O5: Synthesis, optical, physical and gamma photon attenuation properties

Abstract

A novel glass of Vanadyl lead-phosphate with the chemical formula P2O5–(40-x) PbO–ZnONa2O–xV2O5 where x = 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8, 1.5, and 2 wt% have been synthesized using melt-quenching method. The amorphous nature of the prepared glasses was examined via XRD spectra. UV–vis spectra were recorded in the range of 190–1100 nm wavelength. The optical energy band gaps and refractive index via Tauc's model, absorbance spectrum fitting (ASF), and the first derivation of the absorption spectrum fitting (DASF) have been determined for all glasses. Gamma-photons shielding capability of the fabricated glasses have been evaluated using MCNP-5 code. Furthermore, different shielding factors were calculated. The geometric progress fitting parameters, exposure and energy absorption buildup factors were also computed using newly created program Phys-X/PSD. The results show that energy gaps for all glasses were close together, but the index of refraction was high. In addition, the shielding properties of the fabricated glasses decreases with increase the vanadium pentoxide content in the fabricated samples. The glasses without vanadium pentoxide had the best shielding capacity among the synthesized vanadyl lead-phosphate glasses. The buildup factors were observed to decrease with increase the vanadium pentoxide. Comparison of the synthesized glasses with standard references material and previously synthesized glasses showed that the Vanadyl lead phosphate glasses can be used as a radiation shielding material.