Fabrication, structure, optical and gamma-ray attenuation properties of borotellurite glasses doped with variable concentrations of cadmium oxide

Glass samples of CdO doped bario-fluoride borotellurite with nominal compositions of (45-x)B₂O₃ + 30TeO₂ + 15BaF₂ + 10Li₂O + xCdO and substitution ratios of x = 0.0 (Cd0.0), 0.5 (Cd0.5), 2.0 (Cd2.0), 4.0 (Cd4.0), and 7.0 (Cd7.0) mol% were synthesized using the well-known melt quenching process. The structure, physical, and optical characteristics of the prepared glasses have been investigated. The Phy-X/PSD software employed to evaluate the radiation attenuation competence of the prepared glasses. The XRD analysis confirmed that the Cd-0.0/Cd-7.0 samples were in amorphous nature. Density (ρ) varied from 3.8633 g/cm³ for Cd-0.0 sample to 4.2894 g/cm³ for Cd-7.0 sample. The molar volume (V_m) varied from 28.08 cm³/mol to 26.25 cm³/mol. The inclusion of CdO in the glasses network reduced the direct band gaps from 3.54 eV to 3.196 eV and the indirect band gaps from 3.23 eV to 2.85 eV, respectively. Urbach’s energy changed from 0.23 eV to 0.318 eV and refractive index (n) ranged between 2.333 and 2.439. Mass-absorption coefficient (MAC) values ranged between 30.696 − 0.032 cm²/g, 30.825–0.032 cm²/g, 31.210–0.032 cm²/g, 31.714–0.033 cm²/g and 32.450–0.033 cm²/g, for Cd0.0, Cd0.5, Cd2.0, Cd4.0, and Cd7.0 glass samples, respectively. Sample coded as Cd7.0 possessed the minimum half value layer (HVL) which ranged from 0.005 cm to 4.887 cm at photon energy 0.015 and 15 MeV, respectively. The effective atomic number (Z_eff) and effective ion density (N_eff) possessed the same trend of MAC parameter. Results confirmed that the present glasses are superior as γ-ray shields compared to other commercial materials.