Synthesis, photoluminescence and gamma attenuation properties of europium-doped borate glasses

Abstract

In this research, we investigate in detail the physical, thermal, photoluminescence, and gamma radiationshielding properties of a new borate glass system doped with Eu3+ ions identified as: 50B2O3-15Na2O - (20x)PbO-15ZnO - xEu2O3. In particular, the study evaluates the changes in the optical, physical, gamma shielding, and dosimetry properties of the borate glass as functions of the chemical composition. The Eu3+-doped borate glassy specimens were prepared using melting-quenching technique. The density of the glasses increased from 3.99 g/cm3 to 4.27 g/cm3 as the Eu2O3 concentration increased from 0 to 3 mol%. A decrease in the concentration of lead oxide led to a decrease in optical absorption in the ultraviolet-visible range. XRD spectra analysis showed that the glasses were purely amorphous. The melting and glass-transition temperatures of the glasses decreased and increased with Eu ion concentration, respectively. The samples doped with Eu3+ showed bright emission photoluminescence under UV excitation. The values of the mass attenuation coefficient (mu/rho) obtained from XCOM and FLUKA agreed within 1.07%. The values of mu/rho fluctuated between 0.0329 cm2/g and 54.1851 cm2/g, 0.0329 cm2/g and 53.7354 cm2/g, and 0.0328 cm2/g and 53.6232 cm2/g for Eu2O3 concentrations of 0, 2, and 3 mol%, respectively. The glasses became more effective at absorbing photons when the Eu2O3 content was increased. For 10 mm thick glass, the dose rate for 15 keV photons was about 43.5 mu R/h, 43.7 mu R/h, and 43.8 mu R/h for Eu2O3 concentrations of 0, 2, and 3 mol%, respectively. In addition, Eu2O3 suppressed photon scattering in the glasses. The glass with the highest Eu2O3 concentration displayed better gamma-ray absorption compared to a broad spectrum of shielding materials.