Impact of ZnO on structural, acoustic, and radiation shielding characteristics of B2O3-SrO-Sm2O3 glasses

Abstract

B₂O₃-SrO-Sm₂O₃ glass systems were fabricated using the rapid-quenching method, incorporating varying concentrations of ZnO. The FTIR and Raman spectroscopies were employed to characterize the glasses. Physical properties including density and molar volume were determined, and ultrasonic wave velocities were measured, allowing for the calculation of elastic moduli. The observed trends in these properties were attributed to the impact of ZnO. An increase in the glass rigidity, manifested by a higher density, was correlated with an elevated cross-link density and an increased number of bonds within the glass network. An increase in the molar volume indicated an expansion of the glass network upon the addition of ZnO. The results suggest that Zn²⁺ ions preferentially incorporate into the glass network as ZnO₄ units, acting as network formers. The shielding effectiveness of the glasses was evaluated by analyzing their Z_eff, MFP, and HVL. The results demonstrated superior gamma-ray shielding properties in these glasses, attributed to their higher Z_eff and lower MFP and HVL values. These findings suggested that the prepared glasses had the potential to serve as alternatives to traditional materials used for γ-ray attenuation.