Nanoarchitectonics and radiation mitigation in Sm2O3-doped lithium borotellurite glass systems: From amorphous harmony to localized order

In this study, a novel series of nano-Sm₂O₃-doped lithium borotellurite glasses was synthesized and systematically investigated in terms of their structural, physical, and radiation shielding characteristics. X-ray diffraction confirmed the amorphous nature of all samples, while transmission electron microscopy revealed progressive nanoarchitectural refinement and particle growth with increasing Sm₂O₃ content, from uniformly dispersed nanodomains to dense agglomerates exhibiting short-range crystalline ordering. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and elemental mapping validated the homogeneous incorporation of boron, oxygen, tellurium, and samarium throughout the glass matrix without phase separation. Gamma-ray shielding evaluations showed enhanced mass attenuation coefficients and reduced half-value layers, particularly in the Sm(n)8 sample, with significant performance gains at lower photon energies. Neutron shielding assessments further indicated elevated macroscopic removal cross-section values and dose attenuation, affirming the compositional benefit of Sm₂O₃ for fast neutron mitigation. It can be concluded that nano-Sm₂O₃ incorporation would play a multifunctional role on structural and radioprotective properties in addition to morphostructural features of lithium borotellurite glasses.