Physical, structural, optical, and gamma ray shielding properties of Li2O–ZnO–SiO2–P2O5 glasses doped with Nd2O3

Novel Li2O–ZnO–SiO2–P2O5 glasses doped with Nd2O3 have been prepared via the ordinary melt-quenching technique. Density and molar volume, FTIR spectra, and UV–visible absorption spectroscopy were used to investigate the physical, structural, and optical properties of glasses. The density increases from 2.545 to 2.644 g.cm−3 and the molar volume decreases from 38.158 to 37.794 cm3 mol−1. The values of the optical gap energies of the samples increased from 3.331 to 3.712 eV with the addition of Nd3+ ions. The results of the infrared spectra analysis showed many vibration modes, and it was found that the intensity of both P–O− and Si–O− vibration modes decreases with the increase in Nd3+ ions, which confirms the increase in the bridging oxygen (BO). The theoretical optical basicity (Λth.) values increased from 1.205 to 1.238, while the interaction (A) values decreased from 0.2209 to 0.2189 Å3. The nuclear radiation shielding parameters, such as mass attenuation coefficient, mean free path, half-value layer, effective atomic number, and electron density, were estimated using Phy-X/PSD and XCOM software programs. The effect of Nd2O3 content on radiation protection properties was evaluated. The results showed that the LiZnSiP:4Nd glass sample gave the best protection against gamma and neutron radiation.