Optical transmission quality and radiation shielding performance of TeO2+ZnO+La2O3 ternary glass system

Abstract

The high mass density that often characterize TeO2-based glasses makes them potentially useful in radiation shielding applications. In this paper, three ternary glass types defined by the chemical formula: (90 - x)TeO2- xZnO-3La2O3 for x = 35 (TZL-A1), 15 (TZL-A2), and 5 mol% (TZL-A3) were considered for optical and gamma radiation absorption study. The reflection loss (RLoss), metallization criterion (M), optical transmission (TOpt.), optical dielectric constant (epsilon optical), and static dielectric constant (epsilon Sta.) were the optical parameters estimated for the glasses. Also, gamma radiation shielding ability of the glasses were assessed through computation of mass attenuation coefficient mu m for energies 0.015 - 15 MeV using FLUKA simulations and XCOM computation. The RLoss is 0.105, 0.117 and 0.121 for TZL-A1 - TZL-A3, respectively while TOpt. is 0.809, 0.791 and 0.784 in the same order. The metallization criterion (M) is 0.513, 0.488 and 0.478 for TZLA1, TZL-A2 and TZL-A3, respectively. The optical dielectric constant (epsilon optical) of TZL-A glasses is 2.849, 3.149 and 3.272 while the static dielectric constant (epsilon Sta.) is 3.849, 4.149 and 4.272 for TZL-A1, TZL-A2 and TZL-A3, respectively. Also, The value of mu m varies between 0.03309 and 47.90855 cm2/g, 0.03332 and 46.67536 cm2/g, and 0.0333 - 43.12055 cm2/g for decreasing ZnO content accordingly. Computed value of the Zeff falls between 22.74 and 49.74 for TZL-A1, 23.34-51.07 for TZL-A2 and 23.61-51.59 for TZL-A3. Other computed photon shielding quantities shows that higher TeO2 content improves the shielding ability of the glasses. The present glasses showed superiority compared to some existing and popular shields such as ordinary concrete, commercial RS-253 and RS-360 glass shields. These glasses thus present better alternative materials which could be used in the implementation of an efficient photon collimator or biological shields in laboratories, industries, and medicine where gamma radiation are adopted for diverse applications.