Synthesis, optical, structural and physical properties of newly developed dolomite reinforced borate glasses for nuclear radiation shielding utilizations: An experimental and simulation study

This work aimed to investigate optical, structural and physical properties of newly developed Dolomite reinforced borate glasses via experimental and simulation techniques. Accordingly, a glass composition (40-x) B2O3–40PbO–20ZnO-xDolomite of various compositions of Dolomite [CaMg(CO3)2] where, (x = 0.0, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 4 wt%) were synthesized by using melt-quenching method. The Dolomite [CaMg(CO3)2] doped glasses encoded DG-0, DG-1, DG-2, DG-3 and DG4 with different compositions are prepared. The optical properties of prepared dolomite glasses have been measured. The results show an enhancement of the absorbance as dolomite contents increases. Using gamma spectroscopy, the radiation shielding properties have been measured. Moreover. Comparatively higher density (DG-4 = 3.868 g/cm3), greater μ, μm and lower T1/2, λ values achieved for (40-x) B2O3–40PbO–20ZnO-xDolomite glass indicated it as a better gamma shield. Besides, the calculated Radiation protection efficiency at 1 cm observe that the (40-x) B2O3–40PbO–20ZnO-x[CaMg(CO3)2] sample has commensurately greater and ranged (14.11565 at 2.614 MeV and 98.35382 at 0.081 MeV). The results observed that Dolomite addition improves the gamma protection ability of lead-zinc borate glasses. The results indicate that the highest Dolomite addition encoded DG-4 has the best shielding competence with measurable physical and optical properties. •A various compositions of Dolomite glass were synthesized by using melt-quenching method.•The results show an enhancement of the absorbance as dolomite contents increases.•The highest Dolomite addition encoded DG-4 has the best shielding competence.