The structural, mechanical, electrical, and radiation-shielding properties of newly yttrium and neodymium-doped lithium-zinc-phosphate glasses

This paper investigates novel yttrium-doped lithium-zinc-phosphate glass prepared via melt-quenching and characterizes their electrical, mechanical, shielding, structural, and physical properties, with a focus on the impact of varying yttrium concentrations on these aspects. The heavier Y2O3 gradually replaces the lighter P2O5 units, increasing density from 3.0265 g.cm− 3 towards 3.136 g.cm− 3. The FTIR results clearly show that the addition of Y2O3 alters its phosphate glass structures by introducing Y–O bonds, producing non-bridging oxygens, and upsetting the P–O–P network. With rising frequency, relative permittivity decreases rapidly at low frequencies and becomes semi-constant at high frequencies. In general, the relative permittivity and ac conductivity rose in tandem with the Y2O3 quantity. The replacing improved the mechanical and radiation shielding characteristics of the glass, since the Young’s modulus improved from 72.688 GPa to 74.663 GPa. The exposure buildup factor (EBF) was calculated at different mfp’s. At very low energies (such as 0.015 MeV), the EBF values ​​are very close to 1 and increased with raising the energy. It was found that some slight improvement in the radiation absorption performance of the prepared glasses with higher yttrium content.