Borate Glasses Research Articles

Radiation shielding properties of gold nanoparticle-dispersed bismuth borate glasses using Phy-X/PSD software

With the increasing use of radioactive materials in various sectors, effective radiation shielding has become a critical concern. The present study explores the potential of bismuth borate glasses doped with gold nanoparticles for gamma-ray shielding applications. Glass samples with a base composition of 30Bi2O3:70B2O3, containing varying concentrations of 10 nm gold nanoparticles, were synthesized using the melt quenching technique. The physical and morphological properties of the samples were characterized, confirming the presence of uniformly dispersed gold nanoparticles of size (4 nm) smaller than the size of precursor nanoparticles. Shielding parameters, including mass attenuation coefficient (MAC), half value layer (HVL), ten value layer (TVL), mean free path (MFP), and effective atomic number (Zeff), were analyzed using the Phy-X/PSD program. Results showed that the obtained highest MAC value is 155.864 cm2/g which is superior to other reported materials. The HVL and TVL values increased with the increase in energy range, indicating effective gamma-ray shielding potential. These findings suggest that optimizing the dispersion and concentration of gold nanoparticles in bismuth borate glasses could enhance their performance as radiation shielding materials, making them promising candidates for various applications.

Effect of Dy3+ ions on physical, structural and thermal properties of ZnNaPbB glasses

In this report, inspired by the excellent spectroscopic characteristics of dysprosium (Dy3+) ions doped borate glasses, a series with the composition (70-x)B2O3-10ZnO-10PbO-10Na2CO3-xDy2O3 (here ‘x’ have the values as 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 in mol % ) was made using the melt quenching process and named as ZnNaPbBDy0.1 to ZnNaPbBDy2.0. Here we study the physical, structural and thermal properties of Dy3+ ions doped Zinc Sodium Lead Borate (ZnNaPbB) glasses through different characterization techniques like Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), Raman spectroscopy, Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and decay spectroscopy. Several physical parameters were evaluated to assess the effect of Dy3+ inclusion. FT-IR and Raman spectra confirm the presence of BO3 and BO4 structural units. The data recorded by DSC spectra have been used to predict the glass transition temperature (Tg). The nature of decay spectra was estimated which diverges from exponential to non-exponential at higher concentrations. The decay spectral data is used to calculate the experimental lifetimes for all the glass samples. The Inoakutti Hirayama (I-H) model and Dexter’s plot are used to confirm the type of interaction between the donor and acceptor Dy3+- Dy3+ ions is dipole–dipole in nature that is responsible for the emission intensity quenching with concentration. All the above results might be advantageous for variety of applications in photonic devices.

Assessment of luminescent features on Sm3+ ions doped LiF assimilated lead-free borate glasses for visible photonic and optoelectronic applications

The distinctive set containing Sm3+ ions doped LiF incorporated Alkaline borate glasses have been synthesised via the melt quenching practice. 59B2O3+20LiF+(20–X)CaCO3+XBaCO3 +1Sm2O3 (where X = 5, 10, 15, 20 wt%) is the composition used for the glass preparation. The effect of samarium ions concentration dependency on the absorption and emission of barium and calcium oxide has been studied through several spectroscopic studies. The current set of glasses is ionic, determined by the bonding value. The hypersensitive absorption transition is found in the visible region of the absorption spectra, and the transition from 6H5/2 to 6P3/2 shows the highest oscillator strength of 14.87 × 10−6. The intensity parameters are denoted by Ωλ (where λ = 2,4,6) are assessed and discussed. The results indicate that Ω4 is higher when compared to the other two parameters. The lower Ω2 values further ensure the ionic nature of the glass samples. Moreover, the intensity parameters are utilised to predict some radiative properties for the lasing potential evaluation, which includes cross-sections of emission (σPE), probability of radiative transition (A), and experimental and radiative lifetime (τexp and τR). The decay profile was monitored for the 4G5/2 state, and consistently non-exponential behaviour was observed in all the glasses. Through the CIE colour chromaticity analysis, the CCT (colour-correlated temperature), dominant wavelength, colour, and purity of the emitted light have been evaluated. Concerning all aspects, the glass with 20 wt% of BaCO3 is found to be fit for photonic and optoelectronic applications.

Sn2+/Pb2+ Doping‐Induced Highly Transparent Boroaluminate Microcrystalline Glass With Deep Traps for Long‐Term Optical Storage and Time‐Lapse X‐ray Imaging

AbstractThe development of microcrystalline glass‐ceramics with high transparency and deep trap energy levels is crucial for the cost‐effective and large‐scale production of scintillators and optical data storage applications. In this study, the incorporation of highly electronegative divalent tin (Sn2+) plays a key role in modulating the network structure of borate glass. This leads to the successful synthesis of SrAl2O4:Eu2+ microcrystalline glass with high transparency, reaching up to 80%, and excellent crystallinity. Additionally, a series of non‐optically active ions with different valence states is co‐doped with Eu2+ to fine‐tune the trap levels of the SrAl2O4 microcrystals. All samples maintain high crystallinity and exhibit good transparency. In particular, the Pb2+ ion co‐doped samples achieve an increased trap energy level of 1.28 eV, significantly enhancing their capacity to capture X‐rays and ultraviolet light. Density functional theory calculations reveal that this enhancement is due to severe lattice distortion caused by Pb2+ ions occupying interstitial sites in SrAl2O4. Utilizing the SrAl2O4:Eu2+, Pb2+ glass‐ceramics materials, X‐ray imaging with a delay of up to 210 s and optical information storage for >60 d is achieved. This study provides valuable insights into the crystal growth and trap modulation of persistent luminescent materials within a three‐dimensional glass network structure.

Divalent tin activator for Nd3+/Yb3+ emission in lanthanum borate glass and its impact on inter-ionic phenomena and thermometry

The co-existence of divalent tin activator and Nd3+/Yb3+ rare earths in the borate glasses were utilized and examined to achieve the effective enhancement of the useful near-infrared emission in the wide spectral region. The UV Sn2+ excitation is extremely relevant for the effectiveness of both (Nd,Yb) near-infrared emission, however, Sn-Nd energy transfer efficiency is particularly prominent. The different advantageous inter-ionic phenomena made it possible to explore the diverse energy transfer routes leading to the population of the relevant ytterbium and neodymium excited states. Consequently, adequate multi-model temperature sensing can be proposed and verified considering single-doped and co-doped borate glass systems. The dissimilar effect of temperature on the complementary Sn2+, Nd3+ and Yb3+ optical transitions was investigated in detail. Employing the temperature-dependent spectra of optically active ions, high values of temperature relative sensitivity (1.3 % K−1) were estimated especially in the physiological range (30 – 75 ⁰C).

Mixed former effect in barium borophosphate glasses on the red (Eu3+)-blue (Eu2+) emission for LEDs

The synergistic mixing of P2O5 and B2O3 glass formers at a constant concentration of BaO as a glass modifier plays a vital role in generating a single-phase phosphor doped with Eu2O3 for white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs). Herein, a glass system of nominal composition xP2O5∙(50-x)B2O3∙49.5BaO∙0.5Eu2O3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 50 mol%) was prepared using a melt-quenching technique under normal atmospheric conditions. While the XRD patterns demonstrated the amorphous nature, the SEM micrographs proved the formation of cluster structures. Structural characterization using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy revealed the presence of main vibrational structural units associated with borate and phosphate glass formers, including BO3, BO4−, P=O, PO2−, and PO32−. The IR spectra at x = 0 and 50 mol% exhibit characteristic metaborate and metaphosphate absorption peaks, respectively. In contrast, the mixing of both B2O3 and P2O5 at equal concentrations (x = 25 mol%) has resulted in the absence of absorption peaks assigned to the BO3 and P=O units, thus indicating the mixed structural effect. This is assigned to the formation of B-O-P bonds, with the BO4−, PO2−, and PO32− as the main structural units. These structural changes affect the reduction process of Eu3+ to Eu2+, as demonstrated by the corresponding photoluminescence spectra and observed by the cathodoluminescence micrographs. Photoluminescence studies showed tunable emission from red (Eu3+) to white light (Eu2+ and Eu3+) under UV excitation, with the P2O5 content rising from 0 to 50 mol% due to the growing Eu2+ population formed by the reduction of Eu3+. The optical basicity was observed to decrease with the P2O5 content, favouring the reduction process. The demonstrated tunable single-host white phosphor makes this an attractive system for energy-efficient WLED applications.

Transparent and lead-free Dy3+ doped lithium borate glasses for photon and neutron shielding applications

The exploration of trivalent rare-earth ion-doped lithium calcium borate glasses has surged recently due to their potential applications in solid-state lasers, medical imaging, and radiation shielding. This study focuses on transparent and lead-free Dy3+ doped lithium borate glasses for their efficacy as versatile radiation shields. Glasses with the chemical composition 50(Li2O): 20(CaO): 30−x(B2O3): x(Dy2O3) (x = 0.0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5 and 1.0 mol% Dy2O3) were investigated. The structural changes in the lithium calcium borate glasses with Dy2O3 were investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectra of the synthesized glass samples. Experimental mass attenuation coefficients (μ/ρ) of the glasses have been determined using NaI(Tl) detector spectrometer in the energy range of 0.356–1.332 MeV. Photon interaction parameters were computed using PAGEX software in the energy range of 0.015–15 MeV. Relative dose distribution (RDD) and specific absorbed fraction of energy (SAFE) were also investigated. Additionally, macroscopic fast neutron removal cross-sections ( ΣR ) were computed to estimate neutron shielding efficiencies. The sample with 1 mol% Dy2O3(LBD1), displayed superior photon and neutron attenuation properties. Glasses with lower Dy2O3 doping concentrations (≤1 mol%) showed comparable half-value layer and effective atomic number to reference materials with higher doping concentrations. Increasing Dy2O3 doping concentration improved photon shielding parameters, with ΣR values ranging from 0.1460 to 0.1475 cm−1, higher than those of ordinary concrete, RS-360, and other reference materials. The results highlight the potential of Dy3+ doped lithium borate glasses as effective radiation shields. Further investigations on chemical combinations and Dy2O3 doping concentrations are warranted to fabricate glasses with enhanced properties.

Effect of melting time and temperature on radiation shielding and mechanical parameters of barium borate glass

Effect of melting time and temperature on radiation shielding and mechanical parameters of barium borate glass

Radiation Shielding Analysis of Multi-Component Glasses: Effects of Varying BaO, PbO2 and Gd2O3 Concentrations

This work investigates the impact of BaO, PbO2, and Gd2O3 on newly developed borate glasses’ radiation shielding characteristics. The transmission factor (TF) of the glasses is almost zero at the low energy of 0.0395 MeV, which indicates favorable low-energy photon shielding. The maximum TF is reported at 1.46 MeV for the free Gd2O3 glass sample, ranging from 0.89 (0.5 cm thickness) to 0.73 (1.5 cm thickness). Moreover, with more BaO, PbO2, and Gd2O3 content added to the glasses, the TF decreases, indicating an enhancement in the efficiency of the glasses’ radiation protection with the introduction of BaO, PbO2, and Gd2O3. There is a 4.309 to 5.068 g cm−3 increase in the glasses’ density, and, as a result, the mean free path decreases, suggesting improved performance for radiation protection with the adding of more BaO, PbO2, and Gd2O3 contents to the glasses. At 0.122 MeV, the free Gd2O3 glass’s half value layer value is 0.098 cm, while the tenth value layer is 0.325 cm.

Structure-optical properties of CdO glass matrix with low levels of cobalt impurities

The impacted role of cadmium oxide (CdO) on the structure-optical properties of current borate glasses with low cobalt oxide impurities was studied. The study was performed on a glass system of the formula [x CdO – (80-x) B2O3 – 0.4 CoO – 19.6 Na2O]; x = 0, 6, 12, 18 and 24 mol%, and produced by melt quenching method. Structure and optical absorption spectroscopy were done to explore the electronic transitions of Co cations inside the glass matrix. The obtained data indicated that structure and optical properties were significantly changed following CdO additives. Bands of optical absorption within both visible and near-infrared ranges showed signatures from Co2+ cations in the tetrahedral and octahedral sites, while Co3+ cations in the octahedral sites within the glass network. Optical absorption also changed significantly for the CdO-doped glasses which exhibited red shifts in visible absorption bands and blue shifts in the NIR absorption bands. The obtained absorption bands in both visible and NIR were employed to obtain the crystal field splitting parameter (Δt) showing augmented records from 3364 cm−1 to 3377 cm−1 with more CdO addition. The Tauc gap energy values were then attained showing decreased values from 3.50 to 3.27 eV when further CdO is added. Further, the impacted role of CdO addition on the nonlinearity optical properties of the present glasses was finally estimated. Potential increases in the linear and nonlinear optical are discussed based on polarizability and basicity increments inside the glass matrix.

Effect of samarium oxide addition on the structural, thermal, and optical properties and photoluminescence of lithium borate glass

The samples were prepared in compliance with the form 33 Li2O–66 B2O3—(1-x) AgF—x Sm2O3, where x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75. Powdered samples were converted to a glassy state via melting and quenching. The glassiness of the prepared samples was examined using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA). From the absorption spectra of the prepared glass samples, the band gap in the optical spectrum changed slightly in the range of 3.45, whereas the Urbach energy decreased from 0.32 to 0.267 eV. The fluctuations of the optical band gap and Urbach energy can be attributed to variations in the glass structure. Sm3 + emitted intense reddish-orange light under blue and UV light excitation. There are six excitation bands in the Sm3+ excitation spectrum situated in the blue and UV regions, peaking at 361.7, 374, 400, 417, 462, and 475 nm, which are attributed to the transitions from 6H5/2 to 4D3/2, 6P7/2, 6P3/2, 6P5/2, 4I13/2, and 4I11/2 respectively. The transition from 6H5/2 to 6P3/2 had the highest intensity and was associated with a peak at 400 nm. The bright yellow, reddish-orange, and red emission bands of the Sm3+ ions in the oxide glasses are related to the 4G5/2 → 6H5/2, 4G5/2 → 6H7/2, and 4G5/2 → 6H9/2 emission transitions, respectively.

Ce-doped magnesium borate glass-ceramic for optically stimulated luminescence dosimetry

Despite intensive research in optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dosimetry, the number of materials with suitable properties for practical application remains limited. Among these, magnesium tetraborate (MgB4O7) has attracted attention as a potential host because of its effective atomic number, similar to those of water and living tissues, and the possibility of producing neutron-sensitive material by controlling the content of the 10B isotope. Specifically, Ce-doped MgB4O7 has been proposed as a promising OSL material for 2D dosimetry because of its rapid luminescence. While the literature on polycrystalline sintered MgB4O7:Ce is extensive, the objective of this work is to produce this material in glass-ceramic form, offering many advantages such as excellent formability into complex shapes, rapid mass production, easily controlled microstructure, and higher density (zero porosity) compared to conventional powder-sintered materials, potentially leading to dosimetric improvements. This paper describes the synthesis route and the effects of various thermal treatments of magnesium borate glass and the resulting glass-ceramics, along with their fundamental dosimetric properties. The samples heat-treated at 814 °C for 3 h (GC814) exhibited the most intense and stable thermoluminescence peaks, accounting for their lowest signal fading among the investigated treatment conditions. However, during the OSL readout, diminished intensity was observed. Analysis of the GC814 emission spectrum revealed TL peaks predominantly outside the used optical filter's primary transmittance range, likely contributing to the OSL signal reduction. Regardless of the thermal-treatment condition, all the samples presented excellent repeatability of the OSL response, with standard deviations ranging from 0.1 % to 0.7 %, underscoring the advantages of glass-ceramics over sintered ceramics. From step-annealing analysis, an optimal preheat treatment temperature was identified, and the activation energy of the three main peaks was determined. The encouraging results indicate the potential of this glass-ceramic as a practical OSL dosimeter and justify further investigation to optimize its OSL properties.

Spectroscopic investigation of co-formers on Dy3+ ions activated Barium comprised zinc borate glasses for enhancing the solid-state laser applications

The purpose of the existing research is to analyze the luminescence behavior on a set of different co-formers involved Dy3+ ions activated Barium comprised zinc borate glasses fabricated through the utilization of usual melt quenching technique with a glass composition of 64B2O3+20ZnF2+15BaO+1Dy2O3 & 44B2O3+20A+20ZnF2+15BaO+1Dy2O3 (where A = 0, P2O5, TeO2, Bi2O3). Their structural, optical, luminescence and decay behavior were scrutinized by several respective characterization techniques. Some of the physical properties were calculated by utilizing the corresponding formulae. Besides, the bonding parameter and oscillator strength estimation alongside Judd-Ofelt parameter are also computed to find out the radiative properties from luminescence spectra. From these analyses, ionic nature of the glass network was confirmed. The spectroscopic intensity parameter follows the tendency Ω2>Ω6>Ω4. This higher value of Ω2 is owing to the larger oscillator strength value and signalizing that Dy3+ ions are completely doped into the glass network. Among all the as- quenched samples, BZfBaT:Dy glass possesses high stimulated emission cross-section and holds high optical gain width value which implies that the glass is a perfect candidate intended for laser utilization. By utilizing its emission spectra, the colour chromaticity coordinates (x, y), colour purity, colour correlated temperature (CCT), and Y/B intensity ratio were investigated by means of CIE 1931 diagram and confirmed the light emitting capability. Decay curve displays well-fitting with the exponential fit and the efficiency (ɳ) for the BZfBaP:Dy glass is found to be 61 % and possesses high optical gain signalizing that the material is a perfect choice for optoelectronic applications.

Unlocking the secrets of colored glass: Structural-optical behaviors and non-linear optical properties of [formula omitted] and [formula omitted] ions-doped borates

Investigations of structural-optical properties were performed for La3+-doped borate glass host based on a fixed ratio of Fe3+ ions, and within a lanthanum oxide concentration range of (0–8 mol%). The density was measured and confirmed the increase in bond density of the network, with increasing its volume. While infrared spectroscopy was carried out to investigate the dominant role of lanthanum on structural variations of glass, for example, the BO3 to BO4 conversion and the conspicuous decrease in NBO content. Optically, the d-d visible transitions of Fe3+ ions were suppressed by La3+ quenchers, preventing their peaking within the optical absorption spectra of glass samples. Further, in good coalescence with density and infrared spectroscopy results, Tauc gap energy increased with lanthanum oxide addition owing to the band structure modulations. Additionally, the metallization criterion changed from 0.262 (eV)0.5 to 0.325 (eV)0.5, owing to the Tauc gap energy increment, indicating that the lanthanum addition causes a shift toward the semiconducting nature of the prepared samples. On the other hand, Urbach energy decreased with increasing lanthanum oxide content, manifesting the glass structure's propensity toward less disorder and high polymerization. Besides, the increase in electron-phonon interaction energy indicates a high possibility of phonon consumption to bind free electrons as pairs, mitigating the network disorder. Surprisingly, the non-linear optical properties of the glass matrix were enhanced through lanthanum oxide addition. For the current glass host activated by La3+ ions, including Fe3+ color centers, the correlation between these above-mentioned structural modifications, and optical findings provide a decent paradigm for the optics realm.

Compositional impacts of high CdO content on the structure and radiation shielding efficiency of CoO–Na2O–B2O3 glass system

Here, this study investigated the structural changes and radiation shielding efficiency of a borate glass host modified by varying cadmium oxide (CdO) concentrations. The glass composition consisted of boron oxide (B2O3; 80:56 mol%), sodium oxide (Na2O; 19.6 mol%), and cobalt oxide (CoO; 0.4 mol%), with cadmium oxide (CdO; 0:24 mol%). The glass structure was analyzed utilizing mass density and FT-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) in the 400 to 1600 cm−1 range, while radiation shielding properties were investigated utilizing the online Phy-X software in the 0.284–1.333 MeV energy window. Notably, the addition of CdO significantly impacted the glass density, increasing it by approximately 93 % as the added CdO concentration rose from 0 to 24 mol% (i.e., from 2.507 g/cm3 to 4.849 g/cm3). FTIR analysis revealed a concurrent increase in BO4 structural units with increasing CdO/B2O3 ratios. This observation was supported by the calculated N4BO4/(BO3+BO4) ratio, which increased from 40.73% for the CdO-free sample to 52.00% for the highest CdO content. This increase in BO4 units, denser than BO3 units, explains the observed density increase. Conversely, the concentration of non-bridging oxygens decreased from 10.14% to 4.34% with increasing CdO contents, indicating a more tightly packed glass network. Radiation shielding studies demonstrated that increasing CdO concentration from 0 to 24 mol% enhanced the shielding efficiency, evidenced by a decrease in the half-value layer parameter (HVL). The radiation protection efficacy (RPE) also increased from 0.214 to 0.426 for the CdO-free sample to the sample containing 24 mol% CdO at the investigated energy level. This finding highlights the superior shielding capability of the CdO-rich sample. Furthermore, the transmission factor (TF) was investigated for a constant thickness of 0.75 cm for glasses. The CdO-rich sample exhibited a lower TF compared to the CdO-free sample, particularly at lower energies. This finding confirms that, for a given thickness and energy, raising the cadmium oxide content in the current composition leads to an observed mitigation in the transmitted radiation.

Exploring the potential of bismuth-containing silicate borate glasses for optoelectronic devices and radiation protection

This study studied novel bismuth silicate borate glasses with different bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) concentrations for their optical and γ-radiation shielding capabilities. The glass samples were characterized using UV–Vis–NIR spectroscopy to determine their optical properties, including the optical absorption spectra, absorption edge, and optical band gaps. The FLUKA algorithm was used to determine the radiation shielding parameters in the energy range of 0.01–15 MeV. The results revealed that the optical absorption edge and intensity were influenced by the Bi2O3 concentration, with the highest absorption observed in the sample with 35 mol% Bi2O3. The direct and indirect optical band gaps decreased with adding Bi2O3 up to 15 mol%, then increased at 25 mol%, and then reduced to the lowest value at 35 mol%. The system's crystallite size grew as the amount of Bi2O3 in the sample increased, as revealed by XRD. With increasing Bi2O3 content, it was discovered that the mass attenuation coefficient (μm) and radiation shielding effectiveness rose. The effective atomic number (Zeff) values increased as Bi2O3 content grew. T0.5 values of the glass samples increased as the energy increased and decreased as the Bi2O3 concentration increased. These findings suggest that prepared glasses with high Bi2O3 concentrations have potential applications in radiation shielding and optoelectronics.

Influence of La3+ ions on the structural, elastic, optical, and radiation shielding properties of Cr2O3-Doped heavy metal glasses

This study investigates the effect of La³⁺ rare earth ions on the structural, elastic, optical, and radiation shielding features of heavy metal borate glass (B₂O₃-PbO) doped with Cr₂O₃. Density measurements and FT-IR spectra analysis revealed the role of La3+ ions as a network modifier, where successive additions of La2O3 content led to a gradual increase in the density and an increase in the non-bridging oxygen content resulting from the structural transformation between the BO4 and BO3 units. The significant improvement in the elastic modulus and microhardness factor moduli was confirmed by calculating the change in ultrasonic velocities through the glassy system. The structural modifications induced by La³⁺ ions narrowed the band gap and increased the Urbach energy, indicating higher disorder within the glass network. The linear refractive indices increased due to increased optical basicity and electronic polarization. Optical absorption results showed that Cr⁶⁺/Cr³⁺ ions occupy octahedral/tetrahedral sites, with the tendency for Cr³⁺ cations to occupy more octahedral sites with increasing La₂O₃ content. The produced samples showed a greenish-yellow color caused by the absorption band centered at ∼415 nm associated with the electronic transition ⁴A₂g(F)→2Eg(G). The ligand field effect highlighted the significance of La³⁺ cations in increasing the crystalline field intensity surrounding Cr³⁺ cations and reducing the nephelauxetic ratio, signifying enhanced covalent character between Cr³⁺ cations and neighboring ions. Moreover, the radiation shielding capabilities of the glassy system were analyzed and compared with standard shielding materials, confirming superior shielding performance in samples with the highest La₂O₃ content.

Photon and thermal neutron shielding behaviors of aluminum calcium fluoroborate glass modified with barium oxide: FLUKA Monte Carlo, XCOM and experimental investigations

The borate glass system was prepared using the melt-quenching method. The XRD was used to confirm the amorphous structure of present samples, the FTIR was utilized to observe vibration modes, and the UV–Vis-NIR spectrophotometer was employed to measure transmittance spectra. The radiation shielding properties were examined by FLUKA Monte Carlo simulation, XCOM programs, and experimental methods. The density increased, while the molar volume decreased as the BaO content increased. For the X-ray and gamma-ray radiation, indicate that the addition of BaO instead of B2O3 improve the shielding properties, while the Σ is decreased for thermal neutron radiation. According to the results, adding BaO enhanced the X-ray and gamma-ray shielding properties. However, adding BaO led to the reduces its ability of shielding the thermal neutrons of the glass samples. These data are expected to be accommodate to considering for any applications which requires high efficiency of photon or thermal neutrons shielding.

Effect of gold nanoparticle dispersion on the structural, optical and radiation shielding parameters of sodium borate glass

Borate-derived radiation shielding glasses have been thoroughly explored, yet the effects of gold nanoparticle (GNP) dispersion on sodium borate glasses remain unstudied. This study investigates the impact of GNP dispersion and varying GNP concentrations on the radiation shielding properties and other parameters of sodium borate glass. All the glasses were prepared using the melt-quench technique with a composition of 30Na2O-70B2O3, containing 0, 2 × 10−10, and 2 × 10−9 mol% of nanoparticles. The x-ray diffractogram (XRD) confirmed the amorphous nature of the prepared glass samples, while Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed structural modifications, indicated by the formation of non-bridging oxygens due to the incorporation of GNPs. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) confirmed the presence of GNPs with an average size of 1.317 nm, and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) revealed further coagulation of GNPs into tiny grains to alleviate surface stresses. Density measurements showed a clear decrease from 2.3051 to 2.1363 g cm−3 with the incorporation of gold nanoparticles. Additionally, a localized surface plasmon resonance peak centered at 612 nm was observed in the UV–Vis spectrogram of the glass with the highest GNP concentration. Radiation shielding parameters, including the mass attenuation coefficient (MAC), linear attenuation coefficient (LAC), half-value layer (HVL), tenth-value layer (TVL), mean free path (MFP), and effective atomic number (Zeff), were analyzed using Phy-X/PSD software. The LAC value initially decreases from 76.073 to 70.502 cm−1 with the incorporation of GNPs but increases to 75.878 cm−1 with a higher GNP concentration. This glass system exhibited superior radiation shielding parameters compared to various reported glass systems, indicating its potential for shielding applications.

Magneto‐optical effect of rare‐earth‐rich borate glasses prepared using a levitation technique

AbstractThe magneto‐optical properties of rare‐earth‐rich borate glasses prepared using a levitation technique were thoroughly investigated. Among the series of rare‐earth borate glasses, Tb2O3–B2O3 and Dy2O3–B2O3 glasses displayed remarkably large Faraday effects in the visible region. The Verdet constant of 58Tb2O3–42B2O3 reached −229 rad/T·m at 633 nm, surpassing the value of commercially available single‐crystalline Tb3Ga5O12. Compositions with a higher rare‐earth oxide content (60 mol%) than that of binary glasses facilitated the successful synthesis of Tb2O3–Dy2O3–B2O3 ternary glasses. The Verdet constant linearly increased with increasing Tb2O3 content for the glasses with 40 mol% B2O3. Results indicate that rare‐earth‐rich borate glasses are promising candidates for magneto‐optical applications in the visible region, and that the types and amounts of rare‐earth ion mainly affect these properties.