Role of TiO2 addition on recycling of TV screen waste glasses: Experimental and theoretical studies on structure and radiation attenuation properties

Abstract

Using the powder metallurgy, TiO2-doped TV screen glass ceramic samples were prepared with TiO2 concentrations of 0 (S-TV), 10 (S-TV/Ti10), and 20 (S-TV/Ti20) wt%. The TV screen glass was collected from a damaged TV's CRT. The fabricated materials were investigated for their physical, structural, and radiation-shielding attributes. The chemical composition of the prepared glasses was analysed with the aid of the X-ray fluorescence (XRF) method. The crystalline phase and microstructure of the glass ceramics were studied through the X-ray diffraction (XRD) method and scanning electron microscope (SEM), respectively. The density and Vickers hardness of the sample were determined by the Archimedes method and a micro hardness tester, respectively. The absorption parameters of electrons, protons, alpha particles, carbon ions, fast neutrons, and thermal neutron were calculated from various software and analytic expressions. The XRD spectra of the samples showed the presence of distinct crystalline peaks associated with TiO2, SiO2, and Ba2SiO4. The SEM images revealed that crystalline structures nucleated and increased with coarser crystalline grains when the amount of TiO2 was increased. The densities of the glass ceramics were 2.525, 2.546, and 2.285 g/cm3 for the S-TV, S-TV/Ti10, and S-TV/Ti20 samples, respectively while the corresponding Vickers hardness values were 495, 540, and 578 HV. The projected range of electrons, protons, alpha particles, and heavy carbon ions were within the limits 2.78–32182.18 μm, 0.215–1400 μm, 0.154–130.54 μm, and 0.053–14.10 μm in S-TV, 2.76–31991.36 μm, 0.205–1320 μm, 0.147–122.05 μm, and 0.049–13.11 μm in S-TV/Ti10, and 2.84–32824.95 μm, 0.212–1360 μm, 0.151–125.55 μm, and 0.051–13.45 μm in S-TV/Ti20, respectively. Among the three samples, S-TV was the best thermal neutron absorber, while S-TV/Ti10 is most effective in slowing down fast neutrons. The optimum TiO2 doping content for enhancing the charged particle and fast neutron moderating abilities of TV screens is 10 wt%.