Analysis of structural, optical, mechanical properties and evaluation of radiation shielding effectiveness of strontium borate glasses doped with ZnO nanoparticles

This research meticulously explores the synthesis, structural, thermal and optical characterization of zinc oxide nanoparticles (NPs) infused strontium borate glasses (termed SZ glasses) and their applicability as radiation shielding. The glasses have been produced using the melt quenching process in the composition series of (60-x) B2O3: xZnO: 10SrO: 10Na2O: 10CaO: 10BaO, where x varied from 0 to 20 % mol. In order to dope ZnO into glasses, its structural and morphological characteristics were investigated after it was synthesized by solution combustion method. It was found that the inclusion of ZnO significantly impacted the glasses' density, molar volume, hardness, yield stress, and thermal stability. The optical properties of the produced glasses, such as transmittance, reflection, transparency, opacity and band gap energies, were examined and the effect of ZnO on the optical properties of the glasses was investigated. Crucially, the SZ glasses exhibited notable efficiency in shielding against gamma photons and fast neutrons. This is evidenced by the favourable change in the mass attenuation coefficients with increasing ZnO concentration. Parameters like the half-value layer, effective atomic number, and energy absorption buildup factors were calculated to gauge the radiation attenuation proficiency of the SZ glasses, demonstrating their potential utility in radiation protection. In conclusion, the developed SZ glasses display advantageous structural, thermal, and optical qualities, along with robust shielding capabilities against gamma photons and fast neutrons. This study contributes significant knowledge to the field of novel glass materials, paving the way for their application in various industrial and medical contexts requiring radiation shielding.