Fabrication, FTIR, physical characteristics and photon shielding efficacy of CeO2 /sand reinforced borate glasses: Experimental and simulation studies

Glasses of 20PbO–20CaO-20Sand-(40-x)B2O3-xCeO2: where x = 0 (BCe-00), 2.5 (BCe-2.5), 5 (BCe-5.0), 7.5 (BCe-7.5), and 10 (BCe-10) in weight % were prepared using the ordinary melt quenching technique. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis of the prepared glasses has been performed. The impact of cerium (Ce) concentration on the photon shielding efficacy of the proposed glasses has been examined. There was a lack of crystallinity of BCe-glasses, and the amorphous nature of all glasses was confirmed via X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. Density was increased from 4.150 g/cm3 for BCe-00 glass sample to 4.510 g/cm3 for BCe-10 glass sample. Each glass composition shows six absorption bands and these peak positions are assigned to various vibrational modes. The highest values of μm at 0.015 MeV were 26.41 cm2/g, 27.80 cm2/g, 29.20 cm2/g, 30.59 cm2/g, and 31.99 cm2/g for BCe-00, BCe-2.5, BCe-5.0, BCe-7.5, BCe-10, respectively. The half value layer (T1/2) of the investigated BCe-glasses can be arranged in a reverse trend of the MAC as (T1/2)BCe-00 > (T1/2)BCe-2.5 > (T1/2)BCe-5.0 > (T1/2)BCe-7.5 > (T1/2)BCe-10. The trend of the Zeff obeys the order (Zeff)BCe-10 > (Zeff)BCe-7.5 > (Zeff)BCe-5.0 > (Zeff)BCe-2.5 > (Zeff)BCe-00. The BCe-00 glasses own very high (exposure buildup factor, EBF) and (energy absorption buildup factor, EABF) values, but the BCe-10 glasses own very low values. The obtained results ensure that the BCe-10 glass has a super effect than other proposed glasses to attenuate photons. Furthermore, these works have shown the significance of B2O3-based glasses in several technologies and the potential of developing this glass for use as radiation shielding. It is indispensable to improve glass passed on boric oxide by adding several elements to enhance radiation shielding and optical properties. This has stimulated to study 20PbO–20CaO-20Sand-(40-x)B2O3-xCeO2 where (x = 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 in weight %). glass system to characterize its physical, optical, structural, and gamma-ray shielding properties. •Glasses of 20PbO–20CaO-20Sand-(40-x)B2O3-xCeO2: where x = 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 wt% were successfully prepared.•XRD and FTIR measurement were performed.•γ-ray attenuation properties have been examined.•Glasses are superior in terms of gamma-photon attenuation capability.