Effects of dysprosium oxide addition on the structural, mechanical, optical, and radiation shielding properties of borate tellurite germanate glasses

The current work seeks to fabricate a series of four bulk glasses using the melt-quenching method according to the chemical formula of (35-x) B₂O₃ + 10GeO₂ + 20TeO₂ + 35MgO + x Dy₂O₃, where x = 1.25, 2.5, 3.75, and 5 mol%. XRD detected the amorphous nature of the fabricated glasses with a 2θ range from 10 to 80°, whereas the glasses' absorption spectra were explored in the 350-1000 nm wavelength region. The band gap (E_g) values were calculated using Mott and Davis's concept while calculating several optical parameters, including the optical basicity (Λ), reflection loss (R), optical electronegativity (χ), electron polarizability (αₒ), metallization, and transmission (T). The impact of substitution of B₂O₃ by Dy₂O₃ on the mechanical properties was examined utilizing the Makishima and Mackenzie method. Moreover, the prepared glasses' γ-ray shielding was found via a Monte Carlo simulation. The simulated data showed that the increase in B₂O₃'s partial substitution by Dy₂O₃ content enhances the prepared glasses' shielding properties. The highest linear attenuation coefficient in the current study was achieved for the 5 mol% Dy₂O₃-doped glass sample, where its LACs decreased over the range of 152.849-0.124 cm^-1, with the gamma-ray energy raised throughout 0.015-15 MeV, respectively.