Nd2O3-induced modifications in PVA-Ce2O3 Composites: Correlating structure, optical properties, and radiation shielding efficiency

This study examines how partial substitution of Ce 2 O 3 with Nd 2 O 3 affects the structural, optical, and radiation shielding properties of PVA composites. XRD analysis confirmed the amorphous nature of all samples. FTIR spectroscopy showed a red shift of vibrational bands with Nd 2 O 3 addition, indicating enhanced covalency and reduced bond strength, despite the ionic nature of Ce-O/Nd-O bonds. The substitution resulted in decreased in composite density and electron mobility but increased optical transmittance and resonance frequency. Optical conductivity decreased systematically with Nd 2 O 3 incorporation, consistent with Drude–Lorentz simulations. Radiation shielding analysis demonstrated that the addition of 7.5 wt% Nd 2 O 3 enhanced γ-ray attenuation by up to 665 % at 0.08 MeV and ∼11 % at 2.614 MeV compared to the undoped composite, despite the density reduction. In contrast, fast and thermal neutron attenuation declined by ∼24 % and ∼20 %, respectively, when expressed per unit thickness in centimeters, although mass-normalized values (g/cm 2 ) remained nearly constant across all compositions. These findings establish Nd 2 O 3 -modified PVA–Ce 2 O 3 composites as promising multifunctional materials. They exhibit tunable optical properties and efficient γ-ray shielding while maintaining consistent neutron shielding performance per unit mass.