Composition dependent studies of structural, thermal, mechanical and radiation attenuation features of phospho-tellurite glasses

Abstract The phosphotellurite glasses of chemical constitution, (P 2 O 5 ) 0.25 +(TeO 2 ) 0.5-x + (CoO) 0.1 +(ZnO) 0.15 +(Na 2 O) x ; 0.15<x<0.35 were synthesized. Functional groups present were obtained from FTIR spectra. From DTA traces, thermal stability of the glasses is found to be in the range 65K–177 K. TGA studies revealed that these glasses are stable up to 773 K. Using Makishima-Mackenzie’s theory, elastic moduli, Poisson’s ratio, micro hardness and fractal bond connectivity of the glasses were determined. These results reveal high rigidity and mechanical strength of the glasses. Radiation shielding parameters were determined using Phy-X/PSD software for the energy range 0.015 MeV–15 MeV. At the least energy of radiation, maximum mass attenuation coefficient of 30.932 cm 2 g −1 , minimum half value layer of 0.00502 cm and the least mean free path of 0.00724 cm were found for the glass having lowest concentration of Na 2 O. For the same glass, high values of effective atomic number and the electron density are found. The equivalent atomic number of the glasses is found to lie in the range 20.86–25.77. The exposure and energy absorption build up factors found increased with Na 2 O content and were determined to be highest at lowest energies for penetration depth of 40 mfp for all the glasses. The fast neutron removal cross section values are found decreasing with Na 2 O concentration from 0.1146 cm −1 to 0.1114 cm −1 . Structural, thermal, mechanical and gamma radiation shielding characteristics were determined for a set of durable multi oxides doped phospho-tellurite glasses. These glasses are found to be durable, thermally stable, mechanically strong and having high gamma radiation shielding ability.