Impact of yttrium on the optical and neutron radiation shielding properties of bismuth-lithium-zinc-phosphate glasses

Abstract

The goal of this work is to examine the shielding capabilities, optical qualities, and physical characteristics of xY₂O₃-15Li₂O-15ZnO-5Bi₂O₃- (65-x)P₂O₅ glasses. The density measurement grew from 2.9407 to 3.3694 g/cm³ as the yttrium quantity raised from 0.0 mol.% to 3.0 mol.%. Oxygen packing density (OPD) grew in the opposite manner as oxygen molar volume (OMV) with respect to Y-ions mol%. The PHY-X program as well as Monte Carlo simulations were employed for assessing the glass samples' significant fast nuetron radiation attenuation characteristics. The results concluded that the inclusion of Y₂O₃ decreased the half-value/relaxation length while increasing the fast removal cross section (FCS). In terms of total shielding capabilities against nuclear radiation, the Y3.0 glass sample outperformed the Y0.0 glass sample in neutron radiation attenuation. Adding Y₂O₃ to the glass system improves its ability to deflect neutron radiation. The resulting UV–VIS–NIR absorbance spectra were used to estimate the optical energy of the band gap $E_{OPT}$ for the optical investigations. Tauc's plots were used to determine the $E_{OPT}$; direct $r$ eadings fall between 4.197 and 3.779 eV. It was discovered that as the Y₂O₃ quantity raised, the band-gap energy fell while the refractive index and Urbach energy increased. Electronic polarizability, molar polarizability, and molar refraction were also computed. Yttrium doped phosphate hlasses was suggested as a shielding material.