Optical features and radiation absorption efficiency of borate glasses and the role of PbO/ Eu2O3 substitution

Abstract

In the present research, the optical parameters and those related to the interactions of charged radiation and neutrons of 50B2O3 – 15Na2O – 15ZnO – (20-x)PbO-xEu2O3 (for x = 0, 2, and 3 mol%) glass system were investigated. The roles of Eu2O3 content on the evolution of the physical, optical, and shielding abilities of the glasses were presented. The glasses were prepared using the conventional melting-and-quenching method and coded as BNZPE1, BNZPE2, and BNZPE3 for Eu2O3x = 0, 2, and 3 mol%, respectively. To characterize the prepared glasses for radiation applications, two glasses of particulate radiation were considered: charged radiation and uncharged radiation.The densities of BNZPE1, BNZPE2, and BNZPE3 are 3.99 g/cm3, 4.02 g/cm3, and 4.27 g/cm3, respectively. The values of Eg are 3.04 eV, 3.28 eV, and 3.58 eV for BNZPE1, BNZPE2, and BNZPE3, respectively. Both Rm and αm followed a downward trend as Eu2O3 content rose. The static and optical dielectric constants decrease from 5.688 to 5.090 and 4.688 to 4.090, respectively, as the Eu2O3 content rises. The projected range of 15 MeV electrons, protons, alpha particles, and carbon ions was 20341 μm, 1010 μm, 96 μm, and 10.48 μm for BNZPE1, 20206 μm, 998.21 μm, 95 μm, and 10.42 μm for BNZPE2, and 19053 μm, 939.59 μm, 90 μm, and 9.82 μm for BNZPE3. The removal probabilities of FN in BNZPE1, BNZPE2, and BNZPE3 are 0.1086, 0.1089, and 0.1154 cm−1, respectively. The FN shielding abilities of the BNZPE-glasses are better than those of different categories of concrete and some known glass shields The glass with the highest Eu2O3 content has the highest charged particle FN, and TN interaction probabilities.