Designing transparent, lead-free radiation shielding glass through controlled Ba-induced network engineering

A novel barium zinc borosilicate (BSiZnBa) glass was synthesized to advance the design of next-generation transparent radiation-shielding materials. The influence of BaO substitution (40-55 mol%; BSiZnBa1-BSiZnBa4) on structural, mechanical, optical, and attenuation properties was comprehensively investigated. XRD verified the amorphous structure, while FTIR revealed the depolymerization of the borosilicate network via BO 4 →BO 3 conversion. Increasing BaO content led to mass-driven densification without significant volume contraction, accompanied by a modest reduction in elastic moduli. Optical analysis showed band gap narrowing (3.10→2.55 eV) and increased Urbach energy, consistent with growing structural disorder. All glasses displayed high visible-light transparency, demonstrating that enhanced radiation attenuation can be achieved without compromising optical clarity. Gamma ray shielding performance improved significantly with Ba enrichment, as reflected by higher attenuation coefficients and lower half-value layers. The optimized BSiZnBa4 glass demonstrated superior attenuation efficiency with high optical transparency, positioning this system as a promising eco-friendly alternative to lead-based shielding materials. • A new series of Ba-Zn-borosilicate glasses designed as transparent, lead-free radiation shielding materials. • Controlled BaO incorporation drives borate depolymerization and silicate stabilization, tuning structure and functionality. • Enhanced gamma ray attenuation achieved without sacrificing optical clarity or mechanical integrity. • The optimized BSiZnBa4 glass delivers 4.51 g/cm 3 density, 2.55 eV band gap, and superior attenuation efficiency, marking it a strong candidate for radiation shielding applications.