Examinations the optical, mechanical, and shielding properties of Ag(2)O doped B(2)O(3)–Bi(2)O(3)–SrF(2)–Na(2)O glasses for gamma ray shield applications

A series of five glass samples have a chemical composition of (55-x) B(2)O(3) + 5 Bi(2)O(3) + 20SrF(2) + 20Na(2)O + xAg(2)O with varied doping ratios x = 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 mol% were fabricated using the melt quenching technique to study the effect of B(2)O(3) replacement by Ag(2)O on the physical, mechanical, optical and gamma-ray shielding capacity of the fabricated glasses. The Cary 5000 UV–Vis–NIR measured the optical absorption in the wavelength range between 200 and 3000 nm. Based on the measured optical absorption, energy (direct/indirect) bandgap and Urbach energy were calculated. Moreover, the measured samples density, molar volume, packing density, dissociation energy, and mechanical properties for the fabricated glasses were calculated using the concepts of the Makishima-Mackenzie model. In this regard, the microhardness was decreased from 4.070 to 3.931 GPa with raising the Ag(2)O concentration. The effect of B(2)O(3) replacement on the shielding capacity was also evaluated using the Monte Carlo simulation. The simulation results showed that the replacement of B(2)O(3) causes a significant increase in the shielding parameters like linear attenuation coefficient and radiation shielding capacity. The best radiation shielding properties were achieved for a glass sample with 4 mol% Ag(2)O compound. Its linear attenuation coefficient varied between 8.091 and 0.134 cm(−1), raising the gamma photon energy between 0.059 and 2.506 MeV.