article · Optical Materials
Borate-based glass samples doped with varying amounts of barium oxide were prepared using a melt-quenching process to examine their physical, structural, optical, thermal, and radiation shielding characteristics. Analyses confirmed the amorphous structure of the glasses and showed that replacing boron trioxide with barium oxide increases density and improves thermal stability. Optical testing demonstrated a reduction in the optical energy band gap as barium oxide concentration increased, indicating the formation of non-bridging oxygen. Radiation protection measurements revealed that the glasses exhibit superior mass attenuation coefficients compared to conventional concretes and other barium-containing glasses. Both experimental tests and theoretical simulations confirmed that half-value layer and mean free path parameters decrease with higher barium oxide content, establishing these non-toxic and environmentally friendly compositions as effective materials for gamma radiation shielding.
Reliable radiation shielding is critical for protecting personnel and equipment in medical, industrial, and nuclear settings. Conventional materials such as concrete can have limitations in transparency and performance. Developing non-toxic, environmentally friendly glass systems that effectively attenuate gamma radiation offers a potentially safer and more durable alternative for radiation protection infrastructures.
The findings point towards applications in gamma radiation shielding, potentially serving sectors such as nuclear facilities, diagnostic imaging centres, and radiation therapy suites where non-toxic protective barriers are required. Because the work is based on laboratory-scale synthesis and testing via melt-quenching, the technology appears to be at an early stage of development, requiring further engineering and scale-up before real-world commercial deployment can occur.
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This paper presents a comprehensive investigation of borate-based glasses doped with BaO , assessing their physical, structural, optical, and radiation shielding properties through experimental and theoretical analyses. XRD patterns reveal the amorphous nature of the prepared glass samples. Density and molar volume values, and FTIR spectra indicate the impact of BaO concentration on the glass matrix, affecting structural properties. Thermal analysis via TGA/DSC reveals improved thermal properties with the substitution of B 2 O 3 with BaO. UV–visible absorption spectroscopy shows a decrease in energy band gap with rising BaO content, suggesting potential non-bridging oxygen formation. Mass attenuation coefficient (μ m ) values exhibit an exponential decay trend with photon energy, influenced by photoelectric absorption, Compton scattering , and pair creation. The glasses prepared had, in general, a better μ m values compared to that of concretes and other glass compositions containing barium oxide. Experimental and theoretical (XCOM) results for mean free path (MFP) and half-value layer (HVL) demonstrate close agreement, validating the accuracy of the experimental data. Both MFP and HVL increase with energy and decrease with BaO addition, emphasizing the potential for these glasses in radiation shielding applications. • Borate based glass samples of the composition (70-x)B 2 O 3 –20Bi 2 O 3 –5ZnO–5WO 3 -xBaO; x = 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 mol% have been successfully prepared by melt-quenching process. • The addition of BaO in the glass system improves its density, thermal and gamma radiation shielding properties. • The study elucidates structural modifications of borate glasses imparted by the doping of BaO. • Non-toxic and environmentally friendly nature, along with effective shielding behavior, of our prepared glass samples makes it a practical solution for gamma shielding applications.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.optmat.2024.115176
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