Significant impact of lead(II) chloride on synthesis and properties of boron-based metallic glasses for mechanical, optical, and radiation applications

Characterization exposes the attribute of materials that could be explored for further technological advantages. A multidimensional investigation of properties is therefore crucial in determining the prospective applications of a glass system. In this research, the optical and radiation protection potential of xPbCl(2)-10CdO-20Bi(2)O(3)-(70- x)B2O3 glasses are reported. The glass samples (with X = 0 (PCCBB1)-40 (PCCBB5) in steps of 10 mol%) were developed through the melt and quench synthesis approach and analysed for their structural, optical, and gamma radiation attributes. The mass attenuation coefficient mu m of the glasses was estimated for 0.015-18 MeV photons through PHITS simulations and Phy-X calculations. The synthesized glass samples were optically transparent and the XRD spectrum analysis showed that they had amorphous structures. Also, FTIR spectra of the glasses demonstrated the presence of distinct functional groups. The density and molar volume of the glasses increased from 4.0276 to 4.88 g/cc and 47.819 to 52.123 cc/mol, respectively, as PbCl2 content rose from 0 to 40 mol%. Quantities related to the optical features of the glasses such as band gap, refractive index, molar refractivity, Urbach energy, and dielectric constant had unique values for different glass compositions. The range of mu m was 0.0353-66.445 cm(2)/g for PCCBB1, whilst those of PCCBB2-PCCBB5 are 0.0365-72.431 cm(2)/g, 0.0372-77.431 cm(2)/g, 0.0378-81.209 cm(2)/g, and 0.0383-83.805 cm(2)/g, respectively. The effective atomic number, half value layer, and buildup factors showed that increasing the PbCl2 content of the glasses enhanced the gamma shielding ability of the glasses. The glasses displayed interesting properties that made them potentially useful for optical and radiation absorption applications.

Automated summary

Characterization of xPbCl(2)-10CdO-20Bi(2)O(3)-(70- x)B2O3 glasses reveals their potential for optical and radiation protection applications. The synthesized glass samples display transparency, amorphous structures, and distinct functional groups. The optical properties, such as band gap and refractive index, vary with the glass composition. The gamma shielding ability of the glasses improves with increasing PbCl2 content.