A study on zinc-borate glasses: synthesis, structure, FTIR spectroscopy, optical, mechanical, dielectric properties, and radiation protection competence

Six series of strontium lead-borate blocks with general chemical form (60-x)B 2 O 3 -10Li 2 O-20ZnO-10PbO-xSrO: x = 0 (BLZPS-0)—25 (BLZPS-25) mol% were synthesized by the melt-quench method. FTIR spectroscopy, density, and γ-rays buildup factors of the prepared glasses were investigated. Dielectric spectroscopic properties of glasses are conducted during frequencies interval from 50 Hz to 5 MHz at room temperature. Density of BLZPS glasses increased from 3.2824 g/cm 3 to 3.8717 g.cm −3 as the SrO mol% enhanced from 0.0 to 25.0 mol%. Relative portion of BO 4 (N 4 ) enhanced at the cost of BO 3 (N 3 ) relative portion with an increase in SrO content up to 10 mol%, and then back transformation of BO 4 to BO 3 is observed by increasing SrO over 10 mol%. In terms of dielectric spectroscopy, the real part of permittivity was decreased by SrO doping up to 10 mol% and then enhanced. The increase in glass matrix solidity caused by switching from NBOs networks “BO 3 ” to BOs networks “BO 4 ” with an increase in strontium content up to 10 mol% is considered the responsible for the reduction in real part of permittivity by SrO content up to 10 mol%. The relaxation peaks detected in tan δ were enhanced by strontium (Sr) doping. The optical energy gap (E g ) varied 2.79 eV to 2.91 eV. The mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) of these blocks was boosted from 41.322 to 42.268 cm 2 /g when E = 0.015 MeV. Sample encoded BLZPS-25 possessed the lowest values of half value layer (HVL), but highest values of Z eq along all energy range. The exposure-(EBF) and energy-absorption-(EABF) buildup parameters were increased with increasing SrO mol% in these networks. In conclusion, BLZPS-25 glass demonstrates a higher effectiveness in absorbing gamma radiation compared to other samples.