Structure and radiation shielding attitude of hexa-structured borosilicate glasses containing zinc oxide

This study investigates the effects of incorporating zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (1–5 mol%) into sodium borosilicate glasses containing a fixed amount of calcium fluoride (CaF₂). The research aims to elucidate how ZnO modulates the structure and gamma radiation shielding ability of these glasses. Samples on the system (20-x)SiO₂–25B₂O₃–14.5CaO–10CaF₂–24.5Na₂O–6P₂O₅–xZnO, were prepared by the conventional melt-quenching technique and characterized using XRD, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, and UV–Vis spectroscopy. The addition of ZnO was found to play a dual role as both a network former and modifier, creating Zn–O–Si linkages while also disrupting the silicate network. Notably, increasing ZnO content improved gamma radiation attenuation, as evidenced by increased attenuation coefficients and reduced half-value and tenth-value layer thicknesses. The study provides insights into optimizing borosilicate glass compositions for potential applications in bone tissue engineering and radiation shielding.