Effect of MgO on the structural, optical, and radiation shielding behavior of multi-component borate glass

This study investigates the influence of the replacement of B 2 O 3 with MgO on the structural, optical, and radiation shielding properties of borate-based glasses. Three samples were prepared based on the chemical formula (77.5 – x) mol% B 2 O 3 + 2.5 mol% V 2 O 5 + 2.5 mol% CeO 2 + 10 mol% PbO + 7.5 mol% Na 2 O + x mol% MgO (x = 0, 1.25, and 2.5). As the content of MgO increased, it was observed an enhancement in glass transparency and improved surface uniformity. Based on the Fourier transform inferred, FTIR, spectral analysis the network polymerization has been confirmed. Also, a conversion of BO 3 to BO 4 has been observed. Optical sherardization has been achieved using the UV–Vis spectra measurements. The results showed a reduction in both transmittance and optical energy gap as the MgO content increased. While the value experimental measured density increased from 1.78 to 2.16 g/cm 3 . Also, the glass packing efficiency increased from 54 % to >65 %, which confirmed improved structural compactness. Radiation shielding parameters, calculated using XCOM at 0.662, 1.173, and 1.333 MeV, showed enhanced LAC and reduced HVL. It was found that, the sample with 2.5 mol% MgO exhibited the best shielding performance. In general, while these glasses do not surpass lead or commercial high-density glasses in shielding efficiency, they significantly outperform concrete. based on the findings, the prepared samples show competitive performance relative to some polymer-based shields. This supports the MgO-containing borate glasses for use in optical, radiation shielding, and biomedical applications.