Physical, optical, structural and gamma-ray shielding properties of lead sodium borate glasses

Lead sodium borate glasses with compositions xPbO:20Na(2)O:(80 - x)B2O3 (where x = 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 and 55 mol%) have been prepared using melt-quenching method and investigated on their optical, physical, structural and gamma-rays shielding properties. The densities of these glass samples were increased with increase in PbO concentration. The FTIR spectra and molar volumes indicate that PbO acts differently on this glass structures over their compositions. For the PbO composition less than 20 mol%, Pb2+ is incorporated as network former, while it acts as network modifier for the composition from 20-55 mol%. For gamma-ray shielding properties, parameters such as mass attenuation coefficients, effective atomic number and half value layer were increased with increase in PbO concentration. Our results showed relative difference between theory and experiment of less than 1% between experimental and theoretical values. Moreover half value layers of the glass systems have been compared with some standard radiation shielding materials and they exhibited better shielding properties than barite concrete and ferrite concrete at 15 and 25 mol% of PbO, respectively. Crown Copyright (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.