Bi2O3 Content Research Articles

Gamma Attenuation Features of White Cement Mortars Reinforced by Micro/Nano Bi2O3 Particles.

This study aims to explore the radiation protection properties of white mortars based on white cement as a binder and Bi2O3 micro and nanoparticles in proportions of 15 and 30% by weight as replacement sand. The average particle size of micro- and nano-Bi2O3 was measured using a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The cross-sectional morphology and distribution of Bi2O3 within the samples can be obtained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), showing that nanoscale Bi2O3 particles have a more homogeneous distribution within the samples than microscale Bi2O3 particles. The shielding parameters of the proposed mortars were measured using the HPGe detector at various γ-ray energies emitted by standard radioactive point sources 241Am, 133Ba, 60Co, 137Cs, and 152Eu. The experimental values of the prepared mortars' mass attenuation coefficients (MAC) match well with those determined theoretically from the XCOM database. Other shielding parameters, including half value layer (HVL), tenth value layer (TVL), mean free path (MFP), effective electron density (Neff), effective atomic number (Zeff), equivalent atomic number (Zeq), and exposure buildup factor (EBF), were also determined at different photon energies to provide more shielding information about the penetration of gamma radiation into the selected mortars. The obtained results indicated that the sample containing 30% by weight of nano Bi2O3 has the largest attenuation coefficient value. Furthermore, the results show that the sample with a high concentration of Bi2O3 has the highest equivalent atomic numbers and the lowest HVL, TVL, MFP, and EBF values. Finally, it can be concluded that Bi2O3 nanoparticles have higher efficiency and protection compared to microparticles, especially at lower gamma-ray energies.

Monte Carlo Investigation of Gamma Radiation Shielding Features for Bi2O3/Epoxy Composites

Three different samples were synthesized based on polyepoxide resin, a solidifying agent, and a Bi2O3 doping compound. The polyepoxide resin and solidifying agent were added in a 2:1 ratio by weight and the Bi2O3 compound was added in ratios of 0, 5, and 10 wt. %. The density of the synthesized composites was measured using an MH-300A densimeter with an uncertainty in measurement of 0.001 g/cm3. The measurements showed that the density of the fabricated composite varied from 1.103 g/cm3 to 1.20 g/cm3 when the reinforcing Bi2O3 compound was raised from 0 wt. % to 10 wt. %. Furthermore, the γ-ray shielding parameters were evaluated based on the simulated mean track length of γ-photons inside the synthesized composites using MCNP-5 code. The simulated results show an enhancement in the shielding parameter when increasing the Bi2O3 concentration, where the linear attenuation coefficient values increased from 0.101 cm−1 to 0.118 cm−1 as the Bi2O3 concentration increased from 0 to 10 wt. %. The increase in the LAC has a positive effect on the other shielding properties.

A closer look at the structure and gamma-ray shielding properties of newly designed boro -tellurite glasses reinforced by bismuth (III) oxide

This work presents the synthesis and preparation of a new glass system described by the equation of (70-x) B2O3–5TeO2 –20SrCO3–5ZnO –xBi2O3, x = 0, 1, 5, 10, and 15 mol. %, using the melt quenching technique at a melting temperature of 1100 °C. The photon-shielding characteristics mainly the linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) of the prepared glass samples were evaluated using Monte Carlo (MC) simulation N-particle transport code (MCNP-5) at gamma-ray energy extended from 59 keV to 1408 keV emitted by the radioisotopes Am-241, Ba-133, Cs-137, Co-60, Na-22, and Eu-152. Furthermore, we observed that the Bi2O3 content of the glasses had a significantly stronger impact on the LAC at 59 and 356 keV. The study of the lead equivalent thickness shows that the performance of fabricated glass sample with 15 mol.% of Bi2O3 is four times less than the performance of pure lead at low gamma photon energy while it is enhanced and became two times lower the perforce of pure lead at high energy. Therefore, the fabricated glasses special sample with 15 mol.% of Bi2O3 has good shielding properties in low, intermediate, and high energy intervals.

Influence of Sm/Bi substitution on synthesis, structural, and photon interaction properties of TeO [sbnd] MoO3[sbnd] BaO [sbnd] Sm2O3[sbnd] Bi2O3 glass system

In this this paper, five transparent and non-toxic glasses with the chemical identity: 75TeO 10MoO3 10BaO (5-x)Sm2O3xBi2O3 with x = 0 (TMBS-0Bi), 2 (TMBS-2Bi), 4 (TMBS-4Bi), 4.5 (TMBS-4.5Bi), and 5 (TMBS-5Bi) were synthesized using analytic grade chemicals following the melt and quench process. The glasses were characterized for their physical, optical, structural and gamma radiation attenuation attributes. The glasses appear transparent with colour gradient dictated by chemical content. XRD data and analysis confirm the glassy nature of the prepared glasses. As the Bi2O3 content increased, the glass density increased from 5.46 to 5.64 g/cm3. The direct optical bandgap also showed variations with TMBS-5Bi having the highest value of 2.56 eV. The mass attenuation coefficient (µ/ρ) of the glasses was determined through FLUKA simulation and direct XCOM calculations. Results showed great agreement between µ/ρ obtained from both methods. The analysis of photon response parameters of the glasses indicated energy and chemical content variations for photon energies 15–15000 KeV. Generally, parameters relating to gamma ray absorption show improvement as Bi2O3 was enhanced in the glasses. therefore, TMBS-5Bi and TMBS-0Bi is the best and weakest photon absorber among the prepared glasses. The TMBS-5Bi offer good alternative as a transparent and environmentally friendly glass for radiation control applications. The TMBS-XBi glasses are attractive optical materials on one hand, they are also considered candidates in radiation protection functions.

Cell viability and physicochemical effects of different concentrations of bismuth trioxide in a mineral trioxide aggregate cement.

To evaluate the effect of three concentrations of bismuth trioxide (Bi2O3) on the biological and physicochemical properties of an experimental mineral trioxide aggregate-type (MTA-type) cement at different time points. Three experimental groups with white Portland cement containing 15, 20, or 25 wt% of Bi2O3 were assessed. Cellular proliferation in human periodontal ligament fibroblasts was evaluated with an MTT assay. Radiopacity, dimensional stability, pH, and compressive strength were evaluated at different time points. Bismuth trioxide induced cell proliferation in the Bi15 and Bi25 groups in a time-dependent manner; pH was similar in all groups. Compressive strength was associated with time and bismuth concentration. Bi25 had significantly contracted at day 7 and expanded at day 14 (ANOVA P < 0.05, post hoc Tukey test P < 0.05). A higher Bi2O3 concentration had a negative effect on the physical properties of the cement at all time points.

Effect of Bi2O3 on Physical and Luminescence Properties of Unconventional Bi/Er Co-Doped Sb2O3-WO3-Li2O Glasses

New glasses in the system (80-x) Sb2O3-10WO3-10Li2O co-doped with Bi3+/Er3+ were synthesized using the melt quenching method. The Er3+ concentration was kept constant at 0.25 (mol. %) and the Bi2O3 content takes the values 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 (mol. %) in order to elucidate the effect of the Bi2O3 concentration on the measured physical and optical properties of the glasses studied. The pulse echo method of the propagation of ultrasound in these glasses has been used to determine the elastic modules (E, G, K and L) and Poisson ratio. The introduction of Bi2O3 in these glasses increases the thermal stability factor of the glass from 152 to 183°C with an increase in Tg from 275 to 285°C. The UV-Vis cutoff of these glasses redshifts from 408 to 413 nm with a reduction of the indirect band gap from 2.72 to 2.62 ev and a small Urbach energy close to 0.125 nm resulting in small electronic defects in these glasses. The refraction index was found high with small variations in the range [1.965-1.975]. The emission spectra of Er3+ ions in these glasses gave an intense green laser line at 544 nm for an excitation at 488 nm. Moreover, the addition of more Bi2O3, considerably improves this laser line. However, the OH content in these glasses increases with the increase in Bismuth content related probably to the introduction of atmosphere moisture during the synthesis of these glasses. Therefore, the addition of Bi2O3 improves the various physical properties of these glasses making them good candidates for optical applications.

Amperometric type NO2 sensor based on La0.75Sr0.25Cr0.5Fe0.5O3-δ-Bi2O3 sensing electrode prepared by self-demixing

Bi2O3 modified La0.75Sr0.25Cr0.5Fe0.5O3-δ (LSCF) composites have been successfully prepared by self-demixing and used as the sensing electrode (SE) of an amperometric NO2 sensor with yttria stabilized-zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte. The Bi2O3 modified LSCF composites were formed from precursor La0.75Sr0.25BixCr0.5Fe0.5O3+δ (x = 0, 5%, 10%, 20%, 30% and 40%) after calcining at 1200 °C. The particle size of LSCF was increased with the Bi2O3 content increasing. The YSZ porous framework structures were fabricated on YSZ to prolong TPB and the LSCF-xBi2O3-SE with porous structure was prepared on the porous YSZ backbone after calcining at 1000 °C. It is found that the sensors attached with LSCF-xBi2O3-SE are more sensitive to different concentrations of NO2 (25–300 ppm) than the LSCF-based sensor. Among them, LSCF-20% Bi2O3 based sensor exhibits the highest sensitivity (0.301 μA /ppm at 550 °C). The relationship between ΔIs and NO2 concentrations of the sensor varies linearly at a given temperature. Meanwhile, the sensor shows well anti-interference capability for co-existent gases.

High Retention Immobilization of Iodine in B-Bi-Zn Oxide Glass Using Bi2O3 as a Stabilizer under a N2 Atmosphere.

The immobilization of iodine waste suffers from serious iodine loss during heat treatment. Herein, we reported on the high iodine retention immobilization of simulated radioiodine-contaminated Bi0-SiO2 sorbent in B-Bi-Zn oxide glass using Bi2O3 as a stabilizer under a N2 atmosphere. The effects of the Bi2O3 content and sintering atmosphere on the iodine immobilization behaviors (iodine retention ratio, phase composition, microstructure, and chemical stability) were investigated. It was found that the decomposition of BiI3 was prevented by adding Bi2O3 and sintering in a N2 atmosphere. The iodine retention ratio in the obtained glass waste form was significantly enhanced with increasing Bi2O3 content and sintering in the N2 atmosphere due to the synergistic effect. The achieved record-high iodine retention (92.22 ± 2.6%) was much higher than that of conventional heat treatment route (18.01 ± 3.5%). The results demonstrated that iodine was effectively immobilized through the formation of stable BixOyI (Bi5O7I and BiOI). Furthermore, the obtained iodine waste form exhibited excellent compactness and chemical stability. Owing to its high iodine retention ratio, this route can be employed to effectively immobilize radioactive iodine.

Bismuth(III) oxide and boron(III) oxide substitution in bismuth-boro-zinc glasses: A focusing in nuclear radiation shielding properties

Doping the glass structure with Bi2O3 `is known to increase structural stability, and to drastically alter physical parameters including density and molar volume. The goal of this work was to assess the nuclear radiation attenuation competences of several types of glasses based on the xBi2O3-(70-x)B2O3-8BaO-16ZnO-5.5SiO2- 0.5Sb2O3 system. In order to determine the requisite gamma shielding parameters, as well as effective conductivity at 300 K and buildup factors, five different glasses with varied Bi2O3 concentration (i.e., from 10 mol.% to 30 mol.%) were examined thoroughly. These critical parameters were determined using the Phy-X/PSD program. In addition, factors such as half value layer (HVL), tenth value layer (TVL), and mean free path (mfp) were examined over a wide energy range of 0.015–15 MeV. The findings revealed that the amount of Bi2O3 reinforced in each sample is critical in determining the samples' shielding abilities. The linear attenuation coefficients (µ) and mass attenuation coefficient (µm) values were reported in the highest level for the sample with the highest Bi2O3 content. For glass sample A5, the lowest mean free path, half value layer, and tenth value layer values were also reported. The effective conductivity and effective atomic number had an inverse relationship with photon energy, meaning that as energy increased, the effective conductivity and effective atomic number declined fast, especially in low-energy regions. The greatest values for both parameters were found in glass sample A5. Furthermore, the exposure buildup factor and energy absorption buildup factor values for glass sample A5 were the lowest. A5 glass sample with the chemical composition 30Bi2O3-(70−30) B2O3-8BaO-16ZnO-5.5SiO2- 0.5Sb2O3 and a density of 5.8391 g/cm3 was found to have exceptional gamma-ray attenuation qualities, according to our findings. It can be concluded that the prospective attributes of Bi2O3-doped glass systems and associated glass compositions would be beneficial for scientific community in terms of providing a clearer view for some advanced applications of these glass types.

Study of the Structural, Optical and Strength Properties of Glass-like (1−x)ZnO–0.25Al2O3–0.25WO3–xBi2O3 Ceramics

The main purpose of this work is to study the effect of substitution of zinc oxide for bismuth oxide in the composition of (1−x)ZnO–0.25Al2O3–0.25WO3–xBi2O3 ceramics, as well as the accompanying processes of phase transformations and their influence on the optical and strength properties of ceramics. The use of these oxide compounds as materials for creating shielding coatings or ceramics is due to the combination of their structural, optical, and strength properties, which make it possible to compete with traditional protective glasses based on rare earth oxide compounds. Interest in these types of ceramics is due to their potential for use as basic materials for shielding ionizing radiation as well as for use as radiation-resistant coatings. The main research methods were X-ray diffractometry to determine the phase composition of ceramics; scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive analysis to determine the morphological features and isotropy of the distribution of elements in the structure; and UV-V is spectroscopy to determine the optical properties of ceramics. During the studies, it was found that an increase in the Bi2O3 concentration leads to the formation of new phase inclusions in the form of orthorhombic Bi2WO6 and Bi2W2O9 phases, the appearance of which leads to an increase in the density of ceramics and a change in the dislocation density. An analysis of the strength properties, in particular, hardness and crack resistance, showed that a change in the phase composition of ceramics with an increase in the Bi2O3 concentration leads to a significant strengthening of the ceramics, which is due to the effect of the presence of interfacial boundaries as well as an increase in the dislocation density.

Study on the high impulse current withstand properties and failure mechanism of ZnO varistors with different Bi2O3 content

Study on the high impulse current withstand properties and failure mechanism of ZnO varistors with different Bi2O3 content

Tuning optical dispersion and localized surface plasmon resonance of 20Li2O-xBi2O3-(78-x)TeO2-1Er2O3-1Ag glass system

The optical dispersion properties of the 20Li2O-xBi2O3-(78-x)TeO2-1Er2O3-1Ag glass system were studied using the Wemple–DiDomenico fitting model. The single oscillator energy Eo and dispersion energy Ed decrease with increasing Bi2O3 concentration, with a maximum at x = 11 mol%.The large increase at x = 11 mol% can be attributed to the role of Bi2O3 as a glass former, which induces the formation of bonds in the glass network, thereby contributing to average bond strength and increasing Eo. The role of Bi2O3 as glass former may also induce minimal transformation of the glass network TeO2 to lower coordination number Nc, contributing to a maximum in Ed. Analytical expressions were also used to compute the complex dielectric properties of the glass samples. The εr and εi initially decreased at x ≤ 7 mol% before a maximum at x = 11 mol% possibly due to a decrease in polarization caused by blocking of Bi3+ ions to Li+ ions. By contrast, the maximum of εr and εi at x = 11 mol% may be attributed to the high field strength F of Bi3+ and Bi5+ ions, which increases the electronic polarizability of the glass samples. The behavior of the localized surface plasmon resonance was studied using coupling polarization approach, which revealed that the localized surface plasmon resonance of the Ag NP is dependent on the dielectric properties of Er3+ host glass. The electrical χ and Clausius–Mossotti polarizability αL showed a maximum at x = 13 mol%, which could be attributed to high real εr and imaginary dielectric constant εi, thus contributing to the polarizability of the glass samples and leading to strong localized surface plasmon resonance.

Recycling potential of mobile phone waste glasses for radiation shielding applications

The possible use of mobile phone waste cover glass (WCG) in the fabrication of ionizing radiation glass shield composites is considered in this study. Mixtures of WCG and Bi2O3 with weight proportion for WCG:Bi2O3 of 100:0 (WCG-Bi0), 95:05 (WCG-Bi5), 90:10 (WCG-Bi10), 85:15 (WCG-Bi15), and 80:20 (WCG-Bi20) were prepared using a melt and quench process. The density of the produced glasses was measured, and the Makishima-Mackenzie model was used for predicting the mechanical properties. Furthermore, the charged particles shielding ability of the waste samples was assessed using the ESTAR, PSTAR, ASTAR, and SRIM softwares. The fast and thermal neutron cross-sections were also calculated. The longitudinal, shear, bulk, and elastic modulus were found to vary between 70.86 and 63.53, 30.48–27.33, 48.00–43.03, and 75.47–67.66 MPa for WCG-Bi0 to WCG-Bi20, in that order. The stopping power values of the glass samples (WCG-Bi0 to WCG-Bi20) in regards to β-particles were 1.53–12.47, 1.54–12.83, 1.52–12.54, 1.50–12.26, and 1.48–11.97 MeV cm2/g with increasing Bi2O3 concentration. The shielding ability of the glass was enhanced by the addition of Bi2O3, thereby increasing the potential of using the WCG as an effective neutron and charged particle shield.

Radiation shielding properties of Cd-Bi-Pb-Zn-borate glasses: influence of Bi2O3 activation

We report the detail characterizations and γ-radiation protecting characteristics of some new types of cadmium (Cd)-bismuth (Bi)-lead (Pb)-zinc (Zn)-borate glasses of the form (70-x)B2O3-10ZnO-10PbO-10CdO-xBi2O3 (with x = 0 to 20 mol%) synthesized via melt-quenching process. The influence of various Bi2O3 contents on the γ-radiation shielding traits of the obtained glass samples was evaluated by exposing them at different γ-ray energies (0.356, 0.662, 1.173, and 1.33 MeV) which were recorded by the NaI detector. XRD analyses of the as-quenched specimens showed their glassy phase. A comparison between theoretically computed (Phy-X and XCOM software) and experimentally measured various shielding parameters of the glass samples were performed. Irrespective of the Bi2O3 contents, the values of the mass attenuation coefficient, effective atomic number and effective electron density of the prepared glass samples were reduced with the increase of γ-ray energies. Furthermore, the theoretically calculated values of all the shielding parameters were agreed well with the measured ones. Regardless of the γ-ray energy exposures, the shielding capacity of the studied glasses was improved with the increase of Bi2O3 doping contents. The proposed glass compositions were asserted to be useful for the γ-ray absorber applications.

Tailoring the structural and optical properties of zinc oxide with addition of bismuth oxide prepared by two step process

This study was done to investigate the impact of bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) composites on the zinc oxide (ZnO) properties for varistor applications. ZnO-Bi2O3 samples were prepared using a two-step process, precipitation, and solid-state method. Bi2O3 was added into ZnO at various concentrations (0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mol%). All samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and UV visible spectroscopy. XRD results have shown that the crystallite size of ZnO-Bi2O3 samples became smaller when Bi2O3 was added from 0.5 mol% to 1.0 mol%. However, the crystallite size of ZnO-Bi2O3 increased over 1.0 mol% of Bi2O3 concentration. The smallest particle and grain size of ZnO-Bi2O3 appeared when composite at 1.0 mol% concentration of Bi2O3. The homogeneity and smallest grain size might be suitable to be used for varistor application. The absorbance of ZnO-Bi2O3 decreased as the Bi2O3 concentration increased. Therefore, adding Bi2O3 at various concentrations into the ZnO host material can tailor its structural and optical properties.

Radiation shielding, physical, and elastic properties of BaO-B2O3-Bi2O3 glass system

In this research, the radiation shielding, structural, mechanical, and acoustic features of the 20BaO-(80-x) Bi2O2 -x B2O3 (where x = 70, 60, 50, 40, 30, 20 mol%) glasses are investigated and the obtained results are reported in detail. One of the fundamental parameters in the evaluation of the interaction of radiation with shielding material was the mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) that was obtained using the Phy-X/PSD program in the energy range from 0 to 10 MeV and the calculated results are presented in this paper. Increasing the Bi2O3 concentration changes the composition and density of glass samples and affects the mechanical properties. As a result, the values of elastic moduli such as Young’s, Bulk, Shear, and Longitudinal moduli experience a slight reduction. In addition, the Poisson’s ratio decreases from 0.27 to 0.17 but the quantity of fractal Bond Connectivity (FBC) increases between 2.26 and 3.59 from BaBiB1to BaBiB6 glass samples which hints that present glasses have chain structure (3D). Furthermore, the micro-hardness (H) increases from 6.67 to 9.88 GPa with the increase in Bi2O3 concentration. The reported acoustic impedance (Zi) increases between 15.16 * and 19.00 * The result of this study shows that increasing the amount of Bi2O3 in the preferred glass samples leads to the achievement of high performance radiation shielding materials. Finally, from this research, we can exploit valuable information about the structure of the glass samples.

The role of Bi2O3 on radiation shielding characteristics of ternary bismuth tellurite glasses

In this study, we investigated the radiation shielding features of (90-x)TeO2–xBi2O3-10Na2CO3 (x = 4, 8,12,16 and 20 mol%) glasses. The mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) indicates that the shielding effectiveness of these glasses decreases as the energy is raised by showing a progressive reduction with increasing energy. The MAC at 0.284 MeV takes the values between 0.194 and 0.279 cm2/g for the glasses with 4 and 20 mol% of Bi2O3 and reduces to 0.079–0.090 cm2/g for these two samples at 0.662 MeV. With the addition of Bi2O3, a reasonable increase in the linear attenuation factor (LAC) values was also seen. This suggests that the addition of Bi2O3 has resulted in an enhancement in the gamma ray shielding properties. When compared to all other glasses, BT5 glass exhibited LAC values that ranged from 0.295 to 1.562 cm−1, which were the highest. The results indicate that the effective atomic number (Zeff) for the ternary bismuth tellurite glasses increases when TeO2 is replaced by Bi2O3. The Zeff of the glass with 20 mol% of Bi2O3 is higher than that of other samples, whilst that of 4 mol% of Bi2O3 is the lowest. At increasing energies, the mean free path (MFP), which is strongly energy dependent, expands. The MFP gradually declines as Bi2O3 content increases at the expense of TeO2, suggesting that the radiation attenuation characteristics of the selected specimen have gotten better as the Bi2O3 content increases.

A Comparative Study on X-ray Shielding and Mechanical Properties of Natural Rubber Latex Nanocomposites Containing Bi2O3 or BaSO4: Experimental and Numerical Determination.

This work experimentally determined the X-ray shielding and morphological, density, and tensile properties of sulfur-vulcanized natural rubber latex (SVNRL) nanocomposites containing varying content of nano-Bi2O3 or nano-BaSO4 from 0 to 200 phr in 100 phr increments, with modified procedures in sample preparation to overcome the insufficient strength of the samples found in other reports. The experimental X-ray shielding results, which were numerically verified using a web-based software package (XCOM), indicated that the overall X-ray attenuation abilities of the SVNRL nanocomposites generally increased with increasing filler content, with the 0.25-mm-thick SVNRL films containing 200 phr of the filler providing the highest overall X-ray shielding properties, as evidenced by the highest values of lead equivalence (Pbeq) of 0.0371 mmPb and 0.0326 mmPb in Bi2O3/SVNRL nanocomposites, and 0.0326 mmPb and 0.0257 mmPb in BaSO4/SVNRL nanocomposites, for 60 kV and 100 kV X-rays, respectively. The results also revealed that the addition of either filler increased the tensile modulus at 300% elongation (M300) and density but decreased the tensile strength and the elongation at break of the Bi2O3/SVNRL and BaSO4/SVNRL nanocomposites. In addition, the modified procedures introduced in this work enabled the developed nanocomposites to acquire sufficient mechanical and X-ray shielding properties for potential use as medical X-ray protective gloves, with the recommended content of Bi2O3 and BaSO4 being in the range of 95–140 phr and 105–120 phr, respectively (in accordance with the requirements outlined in ASTM D3578-19 and the value of Pbeq being greater than 0.02 mmPb). Consequently, based on the overall outcomes of this work, the developed Bi2O3/SVNRL and BaSO4/SVNRL nanocomposites show great potential for effective application in medical X-ray protective gloves, while the modified procedures could possibly be adopted for large-scale production.

The role of Bi2O3 on the gamma ray attenuation competence of lead-free silica borotellurite glasses between 0.284 and 1.275 MeV

The radiation shielding features of TeO2-B2O3-SiO2 glasses with varying amounts of Bi2O3 were studied at several energies emitted from three radioisotopes: Cs-137, Co-60, and Na-22. The addition of Bi2O3 increases the mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) of the glasses, and Glass 6; the glass with the greatest Bi2O3 content, has the highest MAC out of all the investigated samples. At low energies, 0.284 MeV, there is a great difference between the MAC values of the glasses which increase greatly from Glass 1 to Glass 6 but at 0.826 MeV, the MAC values still increase but very slowly which demonstrated that the MAC is greatly affected by the composition of the glasses at low energies. We investigated the relationship between the density of the glasses and their linear attenuation coefficients (LAC). We found that the LAC of the samples increases as density increases from 3.21 to 4.15 g/cm3, and Glass 6 has a better attenuation performance than Glasses 1–5. The ratio of the mean free paths (MFP) of Glass 1 and Glass 6 (MFPglass1/MFPGlass6) was reported. The highest MFPglass1/MFPGlass6 ratio is equal to 1.75 and occurs at 0.284. The average tenth value layer (TVL̅) of each glass was calculated at two energies; 0.284 MeV and 0.662 MeV, both of which are energies emitted from Cs-137. From the TVL̅results, increasing the Bi2O3 content of the glasses has a positive impact on the thickness of the glasses needed to attenuate the incoming radiation to safe levels.

A comprehensive study on optical features, gamma photon buildup factors and neutron shielding capability of B2O3-SB2O3-LI2O-BI2O3 glasses

ABSTRACT. Linear, nonlinear optical properties, photon buildup factors, and neutron shielding capability of glasses with chemical composition (65-x)B2O3-10Sb2O3-25Li2O-xBi2O3, where x = 0 (BSLB0) – 20 (BSLB20) mol% with steps of 4 mol% were examined. Molar refractivity (Rmolar) and molar polarizability (αmolar) were increased as Bi2O3 content mol% increase in the examined BSLB-glasses. The values of metallization criterion (Mcriterion) confirmed that the BSLB-glasses were non-metallic materials. The static (εstatic) and optical (εoptical) dielectric constants having the same trend of the refractive index (noptical). Values of optical electronegativity (χ*) were reduced from 0.825 for BSLB0 (Bi2O3 = 0 mol%) glasses to 0.758 for BSLB20 (Bi2O3 = 20 mol%) glasses. The linear electric/dielectric susceptibility (χ(1)) increased from 0.370 to 0.397. The nonlinear optical susceptibility (χ3) and nonlinear refractive index n2optical were enhanced by increasing Bi2O3 content in the BSLB-glasses. The BSLB20 glasses presented the least exposure and energy absorption build-up factors (EBF and EABF) at all considered thickness. BSLB20 sample achieved the best fast neutron removal cross section ( ) shield among all glasses. The total stopping powers (TSP) follows the trend (TSP)BSLB0 &lt; (TSP)BSLB4 &lt; (TSP)BSLB8 &lt; (TSP)BSLB12 &lt; (TSP)BSLB16 &lt; (TSP)BSLB20. The electron absorbing and hence shielding capacity of the BSLB-glasses improves as their Bi2O3 content increase. &#x0D; &#x0D; KEY WORDS: Antimony lithium-borate glasses, Optical properties, Buildup factors, Neutron shielding&#x0D; &#x0D; Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2022, 36(4), 949-962. &#x0D; DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v36i4.19