A comprehensive study on optical features, gamma photon buildup factors and neutron shielding capability of B2O3-SB2O3-LI2O-BI2O3 glasses

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Linear, nonlinear optical properties, photon buildup factors, and neutron shielding capability of glasses with chemical composition (65-x)B₂O₃-10Sb₂O₃-25Li₂O-xBi₂O₃, where x = 0 (BSLB0) – 20 (BSLB20) mol% with steps of 4 mol% were examined. Molar refractivity (R^molar) and molar polarizability (α^molar) were increased as Bi₂O₃ content mol% increase in the examined BSLB-glasses. The values of metallization criterion (M^criterion) confirmed that the BSLB-glasses were non-metallic materials. The static (ε^static) and optical (ε^optical) dielectric constants having the same trend of the refractive index (n^optical). Values of optical electronegativity (χ^*) were reduced from 0.825 for BSLB0 (Bi₂O₃ = 0 mol%) glasses to 0.758 for BSLB20 (Bi₂O₃ = 20 mol%) glasses. The linear electric/dielectric susceptibility (χ⁽¹⁾) increased from 0.370 to 0.397. The nonlinear optical susceptibility (χ³) and nonlinear refractive index n₂^optical were enhanced by increasing Bi₂O₃ content in the BSLB-glasses. The BSLB20 glasses presented the least exposure and energy absorption build-up factors (EBF and EABF) at all considered thickness. BSLB20 sample achieved the best fast neutron removal cross section ( ) shield among all glasses. The total stopping powers (TSP) follows the trend (TSP)_BSLB0 < (TSP)_BSLB4 < (TSP)_BSLB8 < (TSP)_BSLB12 < (TSP)_BSLB16 < (TSP)_BSLB20. The electron absorbing and hence shielding capacity of the BSLB-glasses improves as their Bi₂O₃ content increase.  

KEY WORDS: Antimony lithium-borate glasses, Optical properties, Buildup factors, Neutron shielding

Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2022, 36(4), 949-962.                                                               

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v36i4.19