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The application of different glass materials in the area of radiation shielding and charge particle attenuation has necessitated a comprehensive study of glass materials doped with special elements to examine the impact of the special element on the microstructure and shielding capabilities of resultant glass materials. In this study, the optical absorption spectra of Mo3+ doped cadmium zinc lithium borate glasses (BCZLMx) was investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopic methods to ascertain the suitability of BCZLMx glass microstructure to neutron and charge particle attenuation. Results show that the absorption cross-section is the dominant contributor to the total cross section for all samples, ranging from 110.9 cm−1 to 111.7 cm−1. BCZLM1 glass sample appears to be slightly more effective at removing fast neutrons from the beam while BCZLM5 glasses are effective at stopping electrons, protons, alpha particles, and carbon ions when compared to the other BCZLMx glasses samples. This implies that doping cadmium zinc lithium borate glasses with Mo3+ reduces fast and thermal neutrons shielding potential and increased charge particles interaction of the BCZLMx glass system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3D Optical temperature sensors are highly valuable in various fields such as industry, medicine, and aerospace, as they allow for real-time detection of temperature distribution on surfaces. However, existing temperature sensor materials face challenges in achieving accurate detection across a wide range of temperatures from low to high. To overcome these issues, Cs 2 Zn 1-x Eu x Br 4 perovskite B 2 O 3 –BaF 2 -Ga 2 O 3 (BBG) borate glass was prepared for non-contact 3D optical temperature sensing. Cs 2 Zn 1-x Eu x Br 4 perovskite B 2 O 3 –BaF 2 -Ga 2 O 3 (BBG) borate glass improves the stability, thus expanding the temperature measurement range. Utilizing the fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) method, based on the 613 nm (Eu3+: 5D 0 →7F 2) and 592 nm (Eu3+: 5D 0 →7F 1) emission bands, a FIR benchmark database was constructed for the entire temperature range from 10 K to 640 K. Temperature calculation equations related to FIR were derived, with a maximal relative sensitivity of 0.08 % K−1 at 180 K. The method for measuring the surface temperature of 3D curved aircraft is based on the rare earth perovskite borate glass. The temperature measured with this method is close to the thermal imaging temperature and has a good temperature measuring effect. The temperature measurement range is wider and more advantageous than previously reported ranges. These results indicate that Cs 2 Zn 1-x Eu x Br 4 -BBG perovskite borate glass temperature sensors have broad application prospects in many applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An investigation into the optical and mechanical properties of a novel borate glasses with the chemical composition of 70 B2O3-10 Li2O-10ZnO-5Bi2O3-5CaO-xEu2O3 was conducted. The glassy specimens of Eu3+-doped borate were prepared by the melting-quenching technique. An enhanced density from 3.0860 to 3.2176 g cm−3 and reduced molar volume from 29.27819 to 29.17447 (cm3 mol−1) are the outcome of increasing the concentration of Eu3+ in glasses. Plotting the extinction coefficient, dielectric constant (ε1, ε2), and refractive index (n) against wavelength reveals that they all rise as level of Eu3+ elements in the glass lattice increases. An increase in Eu3+ concentration results in a decrease in both the volume (VELF) and surface (SELF) energy loss functions. Also, all elastic-mechanical moduli (such as Young's, Bulk, Shear, and Elongation) increase with increasing the quantity of Eu3+ ions in the glass lattice. The Young's modulus (Y, GPa) of the glassy specimens was 34.512, 36.089, 36.504, 36.730 and 37.114 GPa for x equal 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1 mol ratio in the glass system, and coded by Eu-0.0, Eu-0.25, Eu-0.5, Eu-0.75 and Eu-1.0, respectively. Growing Eu2O3 levels resulted in an increase in Micro-Hardness from 2.050 to 2.146 GPa. Poisson's ratio values for Eu-0.0, Eu-0.250, Eu-0.5, Eu-0.75 and Eu-1.0 were 0.273, 0.275, 0.277, 0.277 and 0.278, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the impact of incorporating copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) on the optical properties of erbium-doped borate glasses. Through melt-quenching and heat treatment techniques, glasses with varying Cu 2 O concentrations (x = 0–5 mol%) were synthesized. Physical and structural analyses revealed that Cu ions serve as effective network modifiers. They foster the formation of a greater proportion of BO 4 tetrahedra and thus enhancing glass homogeneity. Optical absorption spectra demonstrate a distinct modulation of Er3+ absorption bands with Cu 2 O embedding, indicating the formation of CuNPs, as validated by the emergence of surface plasmon resonance bands. This structural evolution results in a noticeable reduction in the bandgap energy, signifying improved semiconducting behavior. Judd-Ofelt analysis highlighted the profound influence of CuNPs on hypersensitive transitions, thereby affecting oscillator strength. Photoluminescence measurements revealed amplified emission in the visible red and near infrared (NIR) region, attributed to the synergistic effects of CuNPs and Er3+ ions, with 5 mol % Cu 2 O exhibiting the highest emission intensity. Analysis of the radiative properties validates the enhancement of the emission cross-section, gain bandwidth, optical gain and radiative transitions. These enhancements contribute to a notable increase in the branching ratio from 0.91 % to 5.41 % accompanied by an increase in the quantum efficiency from ∼79 % to ∼90 %. Moreover, decay analysis revealed a notable enhancement in lifetime from 3.03 ms to 15.74 ms, which is indicative of enhanced radiative transitions. Overall, the incorporation of CuNPs into erbium-doped borate glasses facilitates significant enhancements in physical, structural, and optical properties. This positions them as promising materials for a wide array of optoelectronic applications. This comprehensive study sheds light on the complex interplay between CuNPs and erbium-barium borate glasses, offering valuable insights for the development of advanced optoelectronic materials with enhanced performance and functionality. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural, mechanical and radiation shielding properties of (69-x)B 2 O 3 -20TeO 2 -10Al 2 O 3 -1HfO 2 -xPr 6 O 11 (where x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1 mol %) glass system were investigated. This study introduces a novel approach by incorporating Pr 6 O 11 into glass composition, highlighting its unique contributions to enhancing elastic properties, fracture toughness, hardness, and radiation shielding abilities. Experimental measurements were conducted within the energy range of 59.54–661.62 keV and theoretical calculations are made for MAC values. The presence of Pr 6 O 11 was noted to positively influence the gamma shielding capabilities. At 59.54 keV, the addition of 0.25 mol% Pr 6 O 11 increased the mass attenuation coefficient of the glass by 2.9 %, and the addition of 1 mol% Pr 6 O 11 increased it by 29.8 %. The addition of 0.25 mol% Pr 6 O 11 increased the fast neutron removal cross section of the glass by 4.4 %. Also, it is observed that the glass with 1 mol% Pr 6 O 11 is the best shielding material against alpha and proton particles. A significant enhancement of 24.36 % in the fracture toughness value was observed, increasing from 1.059 to 1.317 MPa m1/2 at 1 mol% Pr 6 O 11. Experimental hardness values increased from 3.374 to 3.985 GPa, resulting in an improvement of 18.11 % at 1 mol% Pr 6 O 11. The thermal stability (ΔT, °C) value demonstrated a notable increase from 85 to 106, indicating a significant 24.7 % improvement at 0.25 mol% Pr 6 O 11. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quencher concentration (cmax) of rare‐earth (RE3+) doped laser glass plays a pivotal role in achieving high laser gain. However, it is still challenging to quantitatively calculate and predict the cmax of RE3+ ions in laser glass. Here, we propose and demonstrate a robust method in predicting the local environment and the cmax of RE3+ in laser glasses from their neighboring glassy compounds (NGCs). Specifically, the NGCs method capably predicts the local environment of Er3+ ions in borate glasses (B2O3–BaO binary and B2O3–BaO–Li2O ternary glasses). Moreover, the NGCs' method accurately predicts the cmax of Er2O3 in borate glasses with an error of less than 5% compared to the experimental result, showing the promising prediction capability for the cmax of RE3+ ions. Based on the NGCs method, the cmax database of Er3+‐doped borate glasses is established for efficiently tailoring compositions with desired optical properties. This study offers a rapid and low‐cost route to design novel laser glasses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This investigation aimed to study the effects of adding TiO 2 on many aspects of 1393-B3 glasses, including their physio-chemical, mechanical parameters, crystallization behaviour, in-vitro bioactivity, hemocompatibility, and cellular viability. Here, we replaced 1393 glass silica with boric oxide to determine a more effective alternative. 1393-B3 bioactive glasses having the general weight % composition (53-X) B 2 O 3 , 6 Na 2 O, 5 MgO, 20 CaO, 12 K 2 O, 4 P 2 O 5 , X TiO 2 (where X = 0, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 %) were prepared using solid-state melt quenching method in platinum crucible at 1100 °C for 2 h in an electric furnace with air as furnace atmosphere. This research aimed to investigate the complete substitution of 1393 glass silica with boric oxide in order to get a reduced melting temperature forming 1393-B3. The objective was to develop a more energy-efficient and economical bioactive glass. Thermal analysis of the samples was obtained up to 700 °C. To evaluate the in-vitro bioactivity, the samples were immersed in simulated body fluid (SBF). These materials undergo XRD, FTIR, and SEM/EDAX analysis both before and after soaking in SBF. These characterization results show the presence of a hydroxyapatite (HA) layer forming on the samples of the bioactive glass surface. The haemolysis process performed on human blood shows its haemocompatibility result. To test these results for the human body. We performed cell proliferation and cell compatibility on the MG-63 cell line to see its effect on osteosarcoma patients. Density (2.31–2.48 gm/cm3), pH value (7.4–8.86), and mechanical parameters such as compressive strength (98–125 MPa), flexural strength (33–54), and elasticity are measured. As a result, physio-chemical, mechanical, biological properties and in-vitro bioactivity of these samples were obtained with increasing concentration of TiO 2 in 1393-B3 borate bioactive glass and found to increase with increasing concentration of TiO 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conductivity spectra of heat-treated 50B2O3·30Li2O·20ZnO glass samples for different hold times, 2 h, 4 h, 6 h, and 8 h, were investigated across a wide temperature range (413–573 K) and frequency range (0.1–106 Hz). Parameters like crossover frequency (ωH), frequency exponent (s), and direct current conductivity (σdc) have been retrieved from the Almond West model fit of the experimental data of ac conductivity. The applicability of overlapping large polaron tunneling has been observed in the examined glass ceramics system. The activation energy determined from the conductivity, electric modulus, and impedance analysis shows a consistent trend. The glass composition 50B2O3·30Li2O·20ZnO exhibits the highest value of conductivity ~ 8.3 × 10−6 Scm−1 when crystallized for 4 h at 573 K, making it an ideal choice for electrode material in energy storage devices. An enhancement in electrical conductivity was observed by converting the 50B2O3·30Li2O·20ZnO glass samples into glass ceramics. Formation of the layered structure was observed from SEM micrographs, which indicates that the studied glass ceramics are appropriate for electric double-layer capacitance fabrication (EDLC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neutrons are widely used in national defense, security, and medical health fields. It is critical to realize neutron detection with high efficiency. The most popular neutron detection scintillators such as lithium glass and 6LiF/ZnS:Ag screen exhibit insurmountable limitations: the former usually has relatively rather low light yield and latter is opaque. In this research, we report the successful construction of the novel full inorganic composite scintillators by low temperature co‐firing technology. The composite scintillator is derived from the ZnS:Ag and borate glass matrix, and it shows better transparency compared with the standard 6LiF/ZnS:Ag screen. It exhibits excellent scintillation properties with the X‐ray induced emission intensity of these composite scintillators reaching approximately 2.46 times of the standard Bi4Ge3O12 (BGO) crystal. The light output under thermal neutron excitation can reach 75 000 photons/neutron. In addition, it presents excellent neutron detection performance with natural abundance of 10B isotope. Our research findings can serve as a valuable reference for the advancement of robust neutron detection materials, particularly in the domain of ZnS:Ag‐based full inorganic scintillator for neutron detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distinctive luminescent properties and excellent stability of long persistent luminescent (LPL) glass‐ceramic hold promise for anti‐counterfeiting and encryption applications. However, rational synthesis and a deep understanding of the precipitation of dual‐phase microcrystals in glass substrate to improve the encryption level remain challenging. Here, we carefully designed the components based on the phase diagram and combined them with the glass‐forming region. By utilizing the different crystallization behaviors of SrAl2O4 and CaAl2O4 in the glass matrix to realize dual crystals coexistence in a borate glass matrix, which provides different crystal field environments for Eu2+ luminescence, thus obtaining excitation‐dependent tunable LPL characteristics in a single sample. Mechanism studies unveiled that this excitation‐dependent behavior arises from the differential capture of charge carriers by defect oxygen vacancies in the sample when charged with different laser sources, providing a channel for multimode anti‐counterfeiting encryption. This strategy of constructing a double crystal field in a glass matrix overcomes the stringent requirements of a single heat treatment method for the crystallization temperature of biphasic crystals, which could become a stable and promising advanced anti‐counterfeiting encryption material and provide new insights into the multi‐band luminescence regulation of rare earth ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glasses that contain Erbium oxide as a dopant exhibit garnered considerable interest for its use in photonic applications, primarily because of the intra-4f sublevel transitions of Erbium ions, which enable emission in the technologically significant 1.5 μm communications window. In this work, a series of Erbium oxide doped sodium lithium borate glasses were synthesized via melt quenching with compositions x Er 2 O 3 -(55-x)B 2 O 3 –25Li 2 O–10Na 2 O–5CaO–3SrO–2Al 2 O 3 (x = 0, 1, 2, 3, and 5 mol%). An investigation was conducted to examine the consequences of Er3+ on the crystal structure and laser spectroscopy. Furthermore, the optical properties of the samples that were created. XRD analysis showed degradation of the glass network with increasing Er 2 O 3 content due to disruption of boroxol rings. FTIR spectra indicated variations in BO 3 /BO 4 ratios and Er–O vibrations with doping. Absorption spectra revealed characteristic Er3+ f-f transitions and a redshift in the UV edge. The bright field imaging proved the effect of Er3+ on the homogeneity of the surfaces. Meanwhile, 3D laser Raman mapping chemically proves the good distribution of Er 2 O 3 on the glass surface. With an excitation under 980 nm, visible emissions at 550 and 660 nm, along with NIR emission at 1550 nm arising from Er3+ 4f levels, were observed. The results demonstrate that Er3+ doping effectively modifies the glass structure and optical properties. The borate glass host provides an excellent platform for customized erbium-doped photonic devices operating in the telecom C-band. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glass systems of the form (70-x)B2O3-10ZnO-10PbO-10CdO-xBi2O3 (with x = 0 to 20 mol%) were prepared by the standard melt-quenching approach and characterized. The role of varying Bi2O3 doping contents on the radiation shielding, dose rate, and stopping power of the proposed glasses was examined. Various radiation shielding properties, such as exposure buildup factors, gamma-ray constants and dose rates, and total neutron removal cross-section, were estimated. The x-ray diffractometer patterns of the samples showed their amorphous characteristics. Glass density was increased from 5.34 to 6.95 g/cm3, and the energy band gap was reduced with the increase in Bi2O3 doping contents. In addition, both mass attenuation numbers and effective atomic numbers of the samples (calculated using Phy-X software) in the gamma-ray energy range of 0.015 to 15 MeV were increased with the increase in Bi2O3 contents. With the increase in Bi2O3 doping, the gamma-ray shielding, stopping power, and neutron removal cross-section of the glasses were improved. This new glass composition was asserted to be a good candidate for radiation shielding applications.

The magneto‐optical properties of rare‐earth‐rich borate glasses prepared using a levitation technique were thoroughly investigated. Among the series of rare‐earth borate glasses, Tb2O3–B2O3 and Dy2O3–B2O3 glasses displayed remarkably large Faraday effects in the visible region. The Verdet constant of 58Tb2O3–42B2O3 reached −229 rad/T·m at 633 nm, surpassing the value of commercially available single‐crystalline Tb3Ga5O12. Compositions with a higher rare‐earth oxide content (60 mol%) than that of binary glasses facilitated the successful synthesis of Tb2O3–Dy2O3–B2O3 ternary glasses. The Verdet constant linearly increased with increasing Tb2O3 content for the glasses with 40 mol% B2O3. Results indicate that rare‐earth‐rich borate glasses are promising candidates for magneto‐optical applications in the visible region, and that the types and amounts of rare‐earth ion mainly affect these properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The current study uses zinc oxide doping nanoparticles to investigate the radiation shielding properties of bismuth borate glass. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) examined the structural characteristics of the current samples. In contrast, the optical properties were determined based on the absorption spectrum for current samples. Appraisal studies are carried out depending on the simulation capabilities of Phy-X/PSD software in conjunction with MCNP5 to achieve this goal. In addition, the neutron and charged particle shielding properties were evaluated theoretically. All glasses are amorphous, as confirmed by the XRD data, and the FTIR data showed several vibration bands and functional groups. The density showed rising from 5.981 to 6.433 g/cm3 with adding ZnO. The band gap values reduced from 2.831 to 2.091 eV for direct and 3.024 to 2.218 eV for indirect with adding ZnO. The investigations' findings demonstrate a strong agreement between the theoretical and simulation-derived estimates of the mass attenuation coefficient. The relative difference of MAC results lie in the range 0.106–2.941% for BBZ0, 0.105–4.348% for BBZ1, 0.105–3.398% for BBZ2, and 0.105–2.032% for BBZ3. The study's findings are valuable insights from thoroughly examining these parameters, which can potentially improve the radiation protection abilities of Bi2O3–B2O3–ZnO glasses. This study represents a significant step in developing more efficient and safer materials for gamma radiation shielding applications.

The current study uses zinc oxide doping nanoparticles to investigate the radiation shielding properties of bismuth borate glass. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) examined the structural characteristics of the current samples. In contrast, the optical properties were determined based on the absorption spectrum for current samples. Appraisal studies are carried out depending on the simulation capabilities of Phy-X/PSD software in conjunction with MCNP5 to achieve this goal. In addition, the neutron and charged particle shielding properties were evaluated theoretically. All glasses are amorphous, as confirmed by the XRD data, and the FTIR data showed several vibration bands and functional groups. The density showed rising from 5.981 to 6.433 g/cm3 with adding ZnO. The band gap values reduced from 2.831 to 2.091 eV for direct and 3.024 to 2.218 eV for indirect with adding ZnO. The investigations' findings demonstrate a strong agreement between the theoretical and simulation-derived estimates of the mass attenuation coefficient. The relative difference of MAC results lie in the range 0.106–2.941% for BBZ0, 0.105–4.348% for BBZ1, 0.105–3.398% for BBZ2, and 0.105–2.032% for BBZ3. The study's findings are valuable insights from thoroughly examining these parameters, which can potentially improve the radiation protection abilities of Bi2O3–B2O3–ZnO glasses. This study represents a significant step in developing more efficient and safer materials for gamma radiation shielding applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This contribution investigates the effect of variable copper incorporation (x = 0.2, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0) in silicate (45 SiO2, 24.5 CaO, 24.5 Na2O, 6P2O5wt%) and modified borate (45 B2O3, 24.5 CaO, 24.5 Na2O, 6P2O5wt%) bioglass materials to be used for bone bonding applications. X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (XAFS) has been used to determine the oxidation states and local coordination structure of Cu atoms in silicate-based and borate-based glasses at the Cu K-edge (~ 8979 eV). The oxidation states of Cu atoms have been determined by near-edge XAFS (XANES) fingerprinting employing reference standard compounds of Cu. Cu (I) and Cu (II) XANES spectra of the standard reference compounds were linearly combined to fit the normalized μ(E) data of the collected XANES spectra using linear combination fitting (LCF approach). The obtained results prove that most of the silicate glass samples contain Cu2O almost exclusively, while modified borate glass samples contain a significant mixture of Cu2O and CuO phases. According to the literature, the remarkable coexistence of Cu2O and CuO phases within the borate sample, particularly when x = 4, promotes the conversion process to allow the more facile formation of hydroxy carbonate apatite (HCA). The best fit structural parameters derived from extended-XAFS (EXAFS) fitting show that the ratio between Cu (I) and Cu (II) in borate glass agreed well with that extracted from XANES analysis. XANES and EXAFS conclude that borate glass with x = 4 is the most suitable composition for bone bonding applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research meticulously explores the synthesis, structural, thermal and optical characterization of zinc oxide nanoparticles (NPs) infused strontium borate glasses (termed SZ glasses) and their applicability as radiation shielding. The glasses have been produced using the melt quenching process in the composition series of (60-x)B 2 O 3 : xZnO: 10SrO: 10Na 2 O: 10CaO: 10BaO, where x varied from 0 to 20 % mol. In order to dope ZnO into glasses, its structural and morphological characteristics were investigated after it was synthesized by solution combustion method. It was found that the inclusion of ZnO significantly impacted the glasses' density, molar volume, hardness, yield stress, and thermal stability. The optical properties of the produced glasses, such as transmittance, reflection, transparency, opacity and band gap energies, were examined and the effect of ZnO on the optical properties of the glasses was investigated. Crucially, the SZ glasses exhibited notable efficiency in shielding against gamma photons and fast neutrons. This is evidenced by the favourable change in the mass attenuation coefficients with increasing ZnO concentration. Parameters like the half-value layer, effective atomic number, and energy absorption buildup factors were calculated to gauge the radiation attenuation proficiency of the SZ glasses, demonstrating their potential utility in radiation protection. In conclusion, the developed SZ glasses display advantageous structural, thermal, and optical qualities, along with robust shielding capabilities against gamma photons and fast neutrons. This study contributes significant knowledge to the field of novel glass materials, paving the way for their application in various industrial and medical contexts requiring radiation shielding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examines the effects of varying titanium oxide (TiO 2) concentrations in glass formulations, denoted as [(53-x)B 2 O 3 –7MgO–20BaF 2 –20Na 2 O-xTiO 2 ] or BMBNTix, where x varies from 0 to 8 mol% in 2 % increments, on optical properties and radiation shielding effectiveness. Using MCNP5 (MC) Monte Carlo simulations and Phy-X software, this study assesses a range of photon energies from 0.015 to 15 MeV, focusing on key radiation shielding metrics such as the linear attenuation coefficient (μ), the half-value layer (HVL), and the tenth value layer (TVL). The results reveal a clear relationship between increased TiO 2 levels in the BMBNTix glasses and improved radiation shielding performance. Notably, the linear attenuation coefficient (μ) steadily climbs from BMBNTi0 to BMBNTi8, highlighting the beneficial effect of a TiO 2 addition to the material's ability to attenuate radiation. This trend is inversely mirrored in HVL values, which decrease from 0.010 cm for BMBNTi0 to 7.646 cm for BMBNTi8, reflecting enhanced shielding efficiency over the entire studied photon energy range. The effective atomic number (Z eff) also showcases a dynamic range from 40.793 to 15.101, suggesting a complex relationship between TiO 2 content and photon interaction. Moreover, the study indicates a slight but consistent increase in the fast neutron removal cross-section (Σ R) from 0.104 cm−1 for BMBNTi0 to 0.106 cm−1 for BMBNTi8, pointing to improved neutron shielding with greater Ti and oxygen content in the glass. These insights highlight the potential of TiO 2 -enriched magnesium borate glasses as superior options for effective photon and neutron shielding, particularly in nuclear medicine, emphasizing their role in enhancing radiation safety measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glass-ceramics (GCs) of glass composition 20ZnO.30Li 2 O.50B 2 O 3 were prepared via controlled heat treatment at hold times of 2h, 4h, 6h and 8h at crystallization peak temperature (846K). The effect of the hold time of heat treatment on the physical, structural, optical, and electrochemical properties was studied. XRD study revealed the formation of a pure LiZnBO 3 crystalline phase. FTIR study revealed the transformation of BO 4 units to BO 3 units with an increase in the time of heat treatment. Optical band gap energy has been estimated from Diffuse Reflectance spectroscopy and, its values range from 3.26eV–3.36eV. Electrochemical properties were studied using Cyclic Voltammetry and compared with parent glass composition. The GC 20ZnO.30Li 2 O.50B 2 O 3 heat treated for 8h exhibits the highest value of specific capacitance (∼48 mAh/gV) and energy density (∼18 J/g) indicating that it can be used as an electrode material in Li-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glass systems of the form (70-x)B2O3-10ZnO-10PbO-10CdO-xBi2O3 (with x = 0 to 20 mol%) were prepared by the standard melt-quenching approach and characterized. The role of varying Bi2O3 doping contents on the radiation shielding, dose rate, and stopping power of the proposed glasses was examined. Various radiation shielding properties, such as exposure buildup factors, gamma-ray constants and dose rates, and total neutron removal cross-section, were estimated. The x-ray diffractometer patterns of the samples showed their amorphous characteristics. Glass density was increased from 5.34 to 6.95 g/cm³, and the energy band gap was reduced with the increase in Bi2O3 doping contents. In addition, both mass attenuation numbers and effective atomic numbers of the samples (calculated using Phy-X software) in the gamma-ray energy range of 0.015 to 15 MeV were increased with the increase in Bi2O3 contents. With the increase in Bi2O3 doping, the gamma-ray shielding, stopping power, and neutron removal cross-section of the glasses were improved. This new glass composition was asserted to be a good candidate for radiation shielding applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers have extensively studied borate bioactive glass (BBG) for bone regeneration and wound healing applications. In the current study, 13-93B3 (54.6% B2O3, 22.1% CaO, 7.9% K2O, 7.7% MgO, 6.0% Na2O, and 1.7% P2O5) was synthesized using a sol–gel technique and doped with different molar concentrations of Cu (0.01, 0.05, and 0.25 M) into BBG for possible biomedical applications. Then, the antibacterial activity was tested against E. coli and S. aureus. The maximum zone of inhibition against S. aureus was achieved at 100 μg/mL of 0.25 M Cu-doped BBG. At 50 μg/mL of 0.25 molar copper concentration, E. coli showed a significant reduction in colony-forming units. Hydroxyl radical production, influenced by the BBG powder, was most effective against S. aureus, followed by E. coli. Protein leakage studies demonstrated significant leakage after treatment with BBG powder, demonstrating a strong effect on bacterial strains. This shows a change in protein synthesis, which is essential for central metabolism and gene transcription, affecting proteins in the periplasm and inner and outer membranes. Furthermore, carbohydrate leakage studies showed that BBG is effective against all three categories of cellular carbohydrate, namely membrane-bound, transmembrane, and intracellular carbs. This study focuses on the diverse antibacterial processes of Cu-doped BBG, which has emerged as a promising contender for biological applications that require strong antibacterial characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barium titanium borate glasses doped with ytterbium with the chemical composition of B2O3-TiO2-BaO-Yb2O3 are described as shields exhibiting excellent performance for β and γ applications. This study used the Phy-X and XCOM codes and the GEANT4 toolkit to calculate and simulate the gamma attenuation factors in a 0.02-MeV to 15-MeV range. From the linear attenuation coefficient and mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) values, the half-value layer (HVL), tenth value layer, mean free path (MFP), effective atomic number (Zeff), electronic cross-section, and atomic cross-section have been determined. In addition, the energy absorption build-up factors and exposure build-up factors values of glass samples were estimated for the energy spectrum spans from 0.02 MeV to 15 MeV and penetration depths up to 40 MFP. Additionally, we analyzed the heaviness (H%) of the selected samples, utilizing this crucial metric as a fundamental parameter to comprehend the distinctive properties of diverse materials. Furthermore, we determined the radiation protection efficiency (RPE), and observed that it is prominent at lower energies, gradually decreasing as the energy level rises. Incorporating Yb3O2 resulted in an augmentation of the RPE values, thereby enhancing the shielding capabilities of the glass system. The ESTAR program assessed the β-shielding action of the inspected glasses by determining the total stopping power (TSP) and the continuous slowing down approximation (CSDA) range. The findings indicate that the incorporation of ytterbium positively impacts the density, consequently enhancing the shielding proficiency, of the sample against β- and γ-rays. In BTBaY4 glass, the variant with the greatest concentration of Yb2O3 exhibits the greatest values for MAC, Zeff, and the most minimal HVL. Moreover, this type of glass has low concentrations of Yb2O3 and is free from lead materials, but shows good shielding properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the incorporation of Terbium(III) oxide as a rare earth metal modifier in sodium borate glasses containing PbO/Bi 2 O 3 , aiming to enhance the efficiency of optoelectronic devices. The synthesis and characterization of these glasses are detailed, highlighting the unique properties introduced by Terbium(III) oxide. The study investigates the regularities in the characteristics such as physical, XRD, UV, FTIR, and optical properties of 70B 2 O 3 –15Na 2 O – 15PbO – (5-x)Bi 2 O 3 – xTb 2 O 3 , where x = 0; 1; 2; 3; 5 mol% prepared glassy samples, considering varying concentrations of bismuth and the modifier (e.g. Tb 2 O 3), and examines their mutual impact on the borate glass matrix involved. It is found that there are sharp peaks on the diffraction pattern, which increase in width and intensity with increasing Terbium concentration from 3 to 5 mol% in the glass matrices, e.g. two-phase structures, amorphous and crystalline, are observed. Moreover, a wide excitation band in the glass matrix is also observed in the region of 200–320 nm. The study delves into the potential applications of these modified glasses in highly efficient optoelectronic devices, contributing valuable insights to the advancement of materials for technological applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of bioactive glass as a mineralization agent in treating dentin hypersensitivity has been established for almost two decades where the melt-quench-derived silicate glass, 45S5, may be regarded as the gold standard formulation. Compared to silicate glasses, borate glasses are less chemically durable and have the potential to mineralize (i.e., convert to apatite) more rapidly. This study compared the apatite forming capacity of a sol-gel-derived calcium-borate glass, 40CaO–60B 2 O 3 (SGB60), to that of 45S5, on demineralized dentin discs and its ability to occlude tubules on non-demineralized dentin discs, in vitro. Moreover, it investigated the vapour sorption reactivity of the glasses to explore the potential correlation between their immediate aqueous interactions and bioactivity in remineralization solution. Compared to 45S5, SGB60 demonstrated more rapid calcium-phosphate layer formation on demineralized dentin surfaces. On the other hand, after 24 h immersion in remineralization solution, the 45S5-induced calcium-phosphate layer occlusion of tubules in non-demineralized dentin surfaces appeared to be qualitatively greater than that induced by SGB60. Moreover, vapour sorption analysis under either air or nitrogen gas, demonstrated that the reactivity of 45S5 with vapour varied under the different purge gasses, with significant carbonate formation under air. In contrast, SGB60 showed a more rapid rate of initial weight increase with vapour under both purge gasses, and this vapour reactivity may be correlated to its more rapid calcium-phosphate layer formation on demineralized dentin surfaces when immersed in remineralization solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of novel Sn2+ doped boroaluminate glasses were prepared by the traditional melt quenching method in this work. Their glass network structure, luminescent properties, and mechanisms were studied in detail. The main framework of the glass network was dependent on the glass network former (B 2 O 3) and intermediate (Al 2 O 3), and was characterized by the 11B and 27Al NMR spectra. Broadband tunable blue-violet emissions ranging from 320 to 550 nm were realized by regulating the glass network structure through optical basicity. The quantitative relationship between optical basicity and emission/excitation peak positions and intensities, FWHM, and Stokes-Shift of this Sn2+-doped glass were revealed, according to which the luminescent properties of Sn2+ could be modulated and even predicted in the future. This work will enrich our understanding of the luminescent properties of Sn2+ ions and the variations of glass network structure, guiding the design of efficient and tunable luminescent boroaluminate glass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glasses with the compositions in mol % of 50ZnO:(50 − x)B2O3:0.5Eu2O3:xWO3, x = 0, 1, 3, 5 and 10 were obtained by applying the melt-quenching method and investigated by Raman spectroscopy, DSC analysis and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Raman spectra revealed that tungstate ions incorporate into the base zinc borate glass as tetrahedral [WO4]2− groups, and octahedral [WØ4O2]2− species with four bridging and two non-bridging oxygen atoms. There are also metaborate, [BØ2O]− and pyroborate units, [B2O5]4−, in the glass networks. The glasses are characterized by good transmission in the visible region, at about 80%. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra evidenced that WO3 is an appropriate constituent for the modification of zinc borate glass structure and for enhancing the Eu3+ luminescent intensity. The most intense luminescence peak observed, at 612 nm, suggests that the glasses are potential materials for red emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents the impact of the glass matrix Sb 2 O 3 –NiO–Na 2 O–B 2 O 3 on the structure, optical and ligand field parameters of Ni cations inside this glass system. Also, the radiation shielding properties of this glass system were investigated. The Sb 2 O 3 concentrations varied from 0 to 18 mol%, while Na 2 O and NiO were fixed at 19.6 and 0.9 mol%, respectively. The structural analyses confirmed that the glass density changed from 2.13 to 2.76 g/cm3, the molar volumes increased from 31.88 to 39.18 cm3/mol and N 4 ratio (tetrahedrally coordinated boron atoms) decreased from 41.16% to 29.65% with further Sb 2 O 3 /B 2 O 3 contents. The brown color of the glass samples and the absorption band at 419–427 nm also showed that Ni2+ cations in the form of NiO 6 units are present in this glass system. Furthermore, additional Sb 2 O 3 /B 2 O 3 contents moved the fundamental absorption edge toward higher wavelengths, reducing optical band gaps from 3.32 eV to 2.89 eV. Furthermore, the nonlinear refractive index increases with the increased Sb 2 O 3 /B 2 O 3 ratios. Also, Ni ions' ligand field splitting and Racah parameters showed different behaviors. In detail, the ligand field splitting showed decreased behavior from 7434 cm−1 to 7408 cm−1, whereas the Racah parameters showed increased behavior from 907 cm−1 to 942 cm−1. The obtained results support the tendency of the bonds between the Ni ions and their environments toward an ionic nature. Besides, the radiation shielding investigations showed enhanced parameters with further Sb 2 O 3 additives. Further, with increasing Sb 2 O 3 from 0 mol% to 18 mol%, there are increases in the mass attenuation coefficient values. The improved radiation shielding parameters of the studied glass samples propose them for ionizing radiation shielding applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical resistance of glasses based on the PbCl2–PbO–B2O3–NdF3 system was studied. Oxochloride lead-borate glasses demonstrated satisfactory water resistance and alkali resistance, while low acid resistance. Bulk glass samples were exposed to the tropical climate of Southeast Asia for a year. The spectral-luminescent characteristics of neodymium ions in these matrices maintain good stability in a tropical climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study employs a systematic and predictive modelling approach to investigate the structure and properties of multi-component borate glasses. In particular, this work is focused on understanding the individual and interaction effects of multiple constituents on several material properties. By leveraging advanced modeling techniques, this work examines how the inclusion and variation of B2O3, CaF2, TiO2, ZnO, and Na2CO3 influence the glass network, with particular attention to modifier fractions ≥ 30 mol%. This research addresses the gap in knowledge regarding the complex behavior of borate glasses in this high modifier fraction range, known as the borate anomaly, where prediction of glass structure and properties becomes particularly challenging. The use of a design of mixtures (DoM) approach facilitated the generation of polynomial equations indicating the influence of mixture components on various responses, enabling the prediction and optimization of glass properties over broad compositional ranges despite being within the anomalous region. This methodical approach not only advances our understanding of borate glass systems but also underscores the importance of predictive modelling in the accelerated design and development of novel glass materials for diverse applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classical molecular dynamics (CMD) simulations that employ analytical force fields have been commonly utilized to investigate mechanical, chemical, and thermal properties of oxide glasses owing to their superior computational efficiency. Conversely, simple functional forms limit the accuracy in modeling complicated glass structures, specifically, in alkaline borate glasses, which exhibit boron coordination numbers that vary nonlinearly with changes in glass composition and temperature. Machine‐learning potentials (MLPs), which are trained using datasets on energy and force evaluated via the density functional theory (DFT), are garnering significant attention as a novel simulation technology for enhancing the accuracy in modeling materials. Therefore, this study applied a universal MLP, PreFerred Potential (PFP) (trade‐name: Matlantis), to model sodium borate glasses, and its accuracy was verified in reproducing boron coordination and ring structures by comparing its results to available experimental data. We found that PFP can quantitatively reproduce the boron coordination change with glass composition without any empirical correction, while the boron coordination in the melts at high temperatures is overestimated, even though the qualitative variation was better estimated than CMD simulations. Furthermore, the MLP could generate many 3‐rings, unlike the analytical force‐field. Accordingly, we demonstrated superior accuracy of the MLP in modeling alkaline borate glasses, while discussing the challenges faced in reproducing the elaborated microstructures in borate glasses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium diborate glasses containing cadmium and lead oxides were fabricated by the melt annealing technique. Lead oxide was introduced at the expense of cadmium oxide to enhance its elastic and shielding properties. The density of the lead-free glass increased from 2.137 g/cm³ to 3.330 g/cm³ after replacing cadmium oxide with lead oxide. The density values were used to investigate the elastic properties of glass using the Makishima-Mackenzie model. In addition, the Phy-X/PSD code was used to simulate the shielding properties of such glasses at different photon energies ranging from 0.005 to 15 MeV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of composition on the structure, thermal, and some physical characteristics of bismuth borate glasses, formulated as 55Bi2O3-(35-x-y)B2O3-(5+x)ZnO-(5+y)SiO2 (where 0 = x, y = 15 mol%), was investigated. Comprehensive analyses were conducted using techniques such as X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA), and Dilatometry. XRD confirmed the amorphous nature of the glass samples, while FTIR spectroscopy revealed that the glasses are primarily composed of BO4, BO3, BiO6, BiO3, ZnO4, and SiO4 structural units. DTA provided further evidence of the samples' glassy state and insights into key temperatures like glass transition (Tg), crystallization (Tc), and melting (Tm). The study finds that substituting B2O3 with SiO2 increases all characteristic temperatures, whereas replacing it with ZnO decreases Tg and Tc but increases Tm. The maximum thermal stability, indicated by a T of 99°C, was observed in the glass with a 55Bi2O3-20B2O3-20ZnO-5SiO2 composition. Dilatometric measurements showed that the investigated glasses have a high coefficient of thermal expansion (10.0-10.7 ppm/°C) values, a low glass transition temperature (345-376°C), and a low dilatometric softening temperature (364-392°C). Additionally, the density and molar volume of the samples were accurately determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional melt quenching technique approach has been used to create glasses with the composition of ZnO-B2O3-Gd2O3-Ag2O.Using the X-ray diffraction technique, the synthesized glasses have been characterized. Using the Archimedes method, the density and molar volume were calculated. To record the absorption spectra, a UV–visible spectrometer was employed, the energy band gap has been evaluated using Tauc's plots. The variation of band gap energies related to Gd2O3 concentration has been discussed. FTIR spectra are examined to determine the sample's structure and functional group. When the Gd3+ ion is added to the doped glass, the photo luminescence spectra produces a consistent orange-red emission, as evidenced by the colour coordinates obtained from the CIE diagram.

In this study, borate glass doped with constant cobalt chloride (CoCl 2) content and different ratios of TiO 2 /B 2 O 3 were prepared using the melt-quenching technique. The influence of the TiO 2 /B 2 O 3 ratio on structure, optical, magnetic, electronic transitions, and linear and nonlinear optical features was studied. Structurally, XRD confirmed the amorphous structure, while EDX confirmed the incorporation of titanium cation. Meanwhile, the density increases, and the molar volume reduces with further ratios of TiO 2 /B 2 O 3 to the glass matrix. Also, FTIR spectra confirmed the decreased presence of non-bridging oxygens (NBO), and different structural units such as BO 3 and BO 4. Optical studies showed the formation of absorption bands at about 301–327 nm, 375 nm, and 434 nm with TiO 2 /B 2 O 3 ratios. Deconvolution procedures are necessary to detach the three electronic transitions and the glass absorption edge. The three electronic transitions can be explained in terms of titanium cations (Ti) oxidation states where Ti3+ cations display absorption bands in the wavelength range 440–480 nm. In contrast, Ti4+ cations display no absorption bands in the visible range but only show ultraviolet absorption bands. According to the electronic transition associated with Co cations are; the band at ∼497–500 nm is associated with 4T 1g (F) → 2T 1g (H) octahedral electronic transitions of Co2+ cations, while the band positioned at 577–578 nm is associated with 4A 2 (4F)→4T 1 (4P) tetrahedral electronic transitions of Co2+ cations. The band is positioned at 648–650 nm and is associated with 5T 2g → 5E g octahedral electronic transitions of Co3+ cations. On the other hand, with increasing TiO 2 /B 2 O 3 ratio, optical band gaps decrease from 3.51 eV to 3.15 eV, and the samples color transformed from light blue to dark blue. Furthermore, the addition of TiO 2 /B 2 O 3 ratio increases the linear and nonlinear refractive indices. ESR data indicate that Co 2 + ions exist in both octahedral sites, with g ⁓ 4.10, and tetrahedral sites, with g ⁓ 2.40. Finally, we concluded the significant influence of the TiO2/B2O3 ratio on the structure, optical and magnetic properties, and linear and nonlinear optical parameters of cobalt borate glass. These results recommend the present glass samples for future applications in various photonic devices within the visible range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon carbide (SiC) power devices are attracting significant attention due to their outstanding stability in high-voltage, high-temperature, and highfrequency environments. To replace toxic Pb-based glass, there is an urgent need to develop Pb-free glass for SiC power device encapsulation, considering its superior electrical insulation properties and processing capabilities. Here, we developed a Bi-based glass for effective encapsulation practical of SiC power devices. By increasing the content of glass modifier BaO, the structure of bismuth borate glass can be tuned to reduce glass network density, leading to the transition of structural units from [BO4] to [BO3]. The softened temperature is reduced to 363.4°C with the BaO content increasing to 15 mol%. After encapsulating the SiC power devices using Bi-based glass, the glass demonstrated a reverse breakdown voltage of 650 V and an extremely low leakage current. Therefore, ourwork provided a route for adapting Pb-free-based low-melting glass for encapsulating SiC devices and offered potential for advanced semiconductor packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employing the melt quenching method, new bismuth borate glass compositions denoted as (40+x)Bi2O3-(60-x-y)B2O3-ySrO, with x and y ranging between 0 to 20 mol%, were synthesized. The X-ray Diffraction analyses confirmed the amorphous nature of all glass samples, indicating the absence of long-range order typically seen in crystalline materials. Concurrently, the Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy examinations unveiled the existence of fundamental structural units within the glasses, including BO3 and BO4 trigonal and tetrahedral units, as well as BiO3 and BiO6 polyhedra, suggesting a complex network structure. Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) and dilatometry assessed the glasses' thermal properties. DTA demonstrated the glasses' high thermal stability, with a stability value of up to 106°C, noting that stability improves with more SrO. Dilatometry analyses revealed these glasses exhibit a high thermal expansion coefficient, ranging from 8.69 to 10.7 ppm/°C, alongside relatively low glass transition temperatures between 362 and 432°C and dilatometric softening temperatures spanning from 380 to 447°C. Density measurements were conducted, followed by molar volume and oxygen packing density calculations, to glean further insights into the samples. Compared to other heavy-metal oxide glasses, the glasses examined in this study exhibited notably high-density values, ranging between 6.279 and 7.476 g/cm³. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work conducts the synthesis, thermal, optical, and magnetic characterization of (60-x)B 2 O 3 +20Li 2 O+20SrF 2 + x Nd 2 O 3 where x = 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 mol% glass samples. The samples were investigated via X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). XRD patterns for borate strontium fluoride glass samples doped with Nd 2 O 3 showed broad humps around 30 and 43°, indicating their amorphous structure. Raman spectra of glass samples indicated that as Nd3+ ions were added to the host matrix, there was an increase in Raman intensity due to bond breakdown and the development of more non-bridging oxygen (NBO) species. The DSC data of the borate strontium fluoride glass samples doped with Nd 2 O 3 demonstrated that the glass transition temperature (T g) generally increased. UV–Vis absorption spectra showed transitions in Nd3+ ions doped borate glasses that are associated with the bands at different wavelengths, attributed to 4G 5/2 +2G 7/2 , 2H 11/2 , 4F 9/2 , 2H 9/2 +4F 5/2 , and 4F 3/2. The refractive index of borate strontium fluoride glass samples doped with Nd 2 O 3 increased. The saturation magnetization values decreased from 0.9 to 0.29 upon increasing the Nd 2 O 3 percentage (0–2 mol%). These low saturation magnetization glass samples can be used in spintronic devices to effectively reduce switching current density and lower the damping constant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of the addition of Nb2O5 (up to 5 mol%) on the structure and luminescent properties of ZnO-B2O3 glass doped with 0.5 mol% (1.32 × 1022) Eu2O3 was investigated by applying infrared (IR), Raman and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Through differential thermal analysis and density measurements, various physical properties such as molar volume, oxygen packing density and glass transition temperature were determined. IR and Raman spectra revealed that niobium ions enter into the base zinc borate glass structure as NbO4 tetrahedra and NbO6 octahedra. A strong red emission from the 5D0 level of Eu3+ ions was registered under near UV (392 nm) excitation using the 7F0 → 5L6 transition of Eu3+. The integrated fluorescence intensity ratio R (5D0 → 7F2/5D0 → 7F1) was calculated to estimate the degree of asymmetry around the active ion, suggesting a location of Eu3+ in non-centrosymmetric sites. The higher Eu3+ luminescence emission observed in zinc borate glasses containing 1–5 mol% Nb2O5 compared to the Nb2O5-free zinc borate glass evidences that Nb2O5 is an appropriate component for modifying the host glass structure and improving the emission intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melt-quenching techniques were employed to produce a series of Nd 2 O 3 doped Al 2 O 3 –Na 2 O–WO 3 –B 2 O 3 glasses. Structure, optical, and thermal properties were investigated to illustrate the effectiveness of the Nd3+ ions in enhancement performance and analyze their behaviour. Nd 2 O 3 demonstrably contributed to the composite, as evidenced by evaluating all features. The density marginally rises with the addition of Nd 2 O 3 instead of B 2 O 3. The relevant physical characteristics had been calculated. The structure was analyzed by FTIR measurement and identified the vibration modes of varied concentrations. From FTIR spectra, N 4 values were reckoned, and the conversion of the network structure unit from BO 3 to BO 4 was verified. Numerous significant peaks have been caught in the absorption bands of the UV–Vis–NIR measurement. Optical bandgap and band tail are determined. DSC measurements were utilized to identify the thermal characteristics. As Nd3+ ions increased, glass thermal stability improved. Overall, the Nd3+ ion modifier rule was realized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The glass composition (70-x)PbO-(30-y)B2O3-(x+y)AlF3, where x and y ranges from 0 to 20 mol%, were prepared using the conventional melt-quenching-annealing technique. The structural and thermal properties of the glasses were comprehensively analyzed using techniques like Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA), Dilatometry, Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). XRD confirmed the amorphous, non-crystalline structure of the glasses. The glass network was found to be composed of structural units such as PbO4, BO4, BO3 and AlO6 using FTIR spectroscopy. FTIR analysis revealed significant structural changes, including the transformation of BO4 to BO3 units and the increase in non-bridging bonds, particularly with higher AlF3 content. DTA was instrumental in determining characteristic temperatures, such as the glass transition, melting, and peak crystallization temperatures, along with glass stability parameters (ΔT, Hr, Tgr) for all samples. The study found that the addition of AlF3 led to a decrease in these characteristic temperatures when replacing B2O3, but an increase when replacing PbO. Variations in the density and thermal expansion of the lead borate glass were observed upon the addition of AlF3, decreasing when substituting for PbO and increasing when substituting for B2O3. These findings provide insights into the properties of oxyfluoride glasses, paving the way for future optimization in their composition for varied applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcium borate glass is a challenging system, due to the rich variety of borate units and alterable boron coordination number, and hence they are also of particular interest for academic study. In this study, neutron diffraction, solid-state magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS-NMR) and Raman spectroscopy were combined with first-principles calculations, experience potential structure refinement (EPSR) simulations to investigate the structure of x CaO·(1- x)11B 2 O 3 glass. Property data such as density and glass transition temperature were also measured to study the impact of structural changes on the properties of glasses. The structure of calcium borate glass was analyzed using various methods including structural unit, atomic pair bond length, coordination number, ring structure, chain structure and cavity distribution. Most notably, the atomic labeling method plays a key role in the structural analysis process. Through this method some new conclusions were obtained. For example, the increase of CaO content mainly leads to the conversion of BO to NBO in the glass structure, and has little effect on the content of BO 3 and BØ 4 -. This result further leads to an increase in Ca-NBO interactions. Interestingly, the bond length distribution of Ca-NBO and B-NBO is shorter than that of Ca-BO and B-BO, so the glass structure becomes denser. The structural reason why the density of calcium borate glass is less than the crystal density was also revealed. This study contributes to unveiling the structure of calcium borate glass and exploring the correlation between the structure and properties of calcium borate glass, which provides a valuable reference for developing more valuable amorphous materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of the La 2 O 3 addition on the microstructure, linear and nonlinear optical parameters of nickel borate glass was carefully investigated for the La 2 O 3 –NiO–BaO–B 2 O 3 system. The La 2 O 3 content of the present glass was varied from 0.0 to 10.0 mol%, while the glass modifiers of BaO and glass intermediate of NiO were fixed at 19 and 1.5 mol%, respectively. Based on the structural investigations, the bond density remarkably increased from 7.37 × 10 19 m − 3 to 8.66 × 10 19 m − 3 by a ratio of 18 % with increasing La 2 O 3 /B 2 O 3 ratios. Additionally, the presence of Ni2+ ions as NiO 6 units was confirmed by the brown shade originating from the absorption band observed at 427 nm in the optical absorbance of the studied glass. Furthermore, the Ni3+ ions do not play a role in the coloring of the glass. Moreover, the fundamental absorption edges of the glass shift towards lower energy values with increasing La 2 O 3 concentrations, confirming the decreased behavior of the band gaps. Moreover, the linear and nonlinear refractive indices increase with increasing of La 2 O 3 concentrations. Additionally, the ligand field characteristics of Ni cations, such as the ligand field splitting parameter and Racah parameter, exhibit opposite behaviors upon introducing additional La 2 O 3 content. A decrease in values of the ligand field splitting, while the Racah parameters exhibit increased values. The observed outcomes demonstrate a tendency of the bonds connecting the Ni ions and their ligands to possess higher degrees of ionic nature. Based on the results, the present glass samples can function as solar thermal collectors by collecting sunlight and utilizing it for direct heating and indirect electrical power generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we report on the radio-photoluminescence (RPL) properties and RPL center formation mechanism in Ag-doped Na-Al borate glass (BG:Ag). In BG:Ag, broad emission bands at 550-800 and 450-800 nm with excitation wavelengths at 320 and 360 nm appeared after X-ray irradiation, respectively. The electron spin resonance (ESR) signal intensity of Ag2+ and Ag2+ increased with absorption dose. These results suggest that BG:Ag exhibits RPL from Ag2+ and Ag2+. Furthermore, RPL emission bands and the ESR signals of Ag2+ and Ag2+ disappeared after heating at 773 K for 1 h. These results indicate that RPL centers can be eliminated by heating and that BG:Ag is a candidate reusable RPL material. On the basis of the variation of the ESR spectra with time from immediately after irradiation, we assumed the following RPL center formation mechanism. First, electron-hole pairs are generated by ionizing radiation. Some of the electrons are trapped at Ag+ and form Ag0. Subsequently, Ag2 + ions are formed by the association of Ag+ and Ag0. On the other hand, holes are trapped at the boronoxygen network to form a boron oxygen hole center (BOHC). Subsequently, the trapped holes transfer to Ag+ from BOHC and form Ag2+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Na2O-ZnO-TeO2-B2O3 (NZTB) glasses doped with Tm (0.1, 0.5, 1, and 2%) were synthesized by a conventional melt quenching technique, and their photoluminescence and scintillation properties were investigated. Some emission peaks due to the electronic transitions of Tm3+ appeared upon ultraviolet light and X-ray irradiation. Decay times were valid as the 4f-4f transitions of Tm3+. A 1% Tm-doped NZTB glass showed a full absorption peak under 241Am a-ray irradiation, and the light yield was estimated to be 51 photons/5.5 MeV-a when the peak channel was compared with a photoabsorption peak of 137Cs γ-rays measured with a Ce-doped Gd2SiO5 sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis of lithium borate cadmium glasses doped with cobalt oxide (CoO) (LiBCdCo) was achieved using the traditional melt-quench process. The chemical composition of the glasses was determined to be 12 % Li 2 O – 5 % CdO – (83-z)% B 2 O 3 , where z represents the mol% of CoO and ranges from 0.0 to 2. Various experimental approaches, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Raman spectroscopy, FTIR and electrical measurements, were employed to investigate the physical, structural, and electrical properties. XRD patterns obtained from the manufactured glass specimens revealed their amorphous nature. The EDX analysis provides insight into the exact chemical composition of the materials in their prepared form. Raman spectroscopy and FTIR analysis have been employed to verify the disparity in the chemical bonds present in lithium borate cadmium glasses, both in their undoped state and when doped with 2 % CoO. The study observed a decrease in density and oxygen packing density as the molar ratios of the modifier oxides in the produced glasses increased. The present study investigates the electrical conductivity and dielectric properties of the glass samples manufactured, focusing on the influence of electron beam irradiation (E.B.). The investigation revealed that the samples exhibited greater effects when exposed to higher doses (100 kGy) of electron beam irradiation. This can be attributed to the increased occurrence of defects, specifically the formation of non-bridging oxygen species (NBOs). The ac-conductivity measurements indicate that the correlated barrier hopping (CBH) mechanism is the most suitable explanation for the ac-conduction behavior observed. This mechanism involves the electron conduction in the CoO-doped glass samples through the hopping of electrons between relaxation sites. This conduction process is facilitated by the conversion of BO 3 units into BO 4 units and the reduction of cobalt ions from Co+2 to Co+3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Borate antimony glass doped with vanadium oxide V2O5 encoded into a [BSV glass system] was prepared with the traditional melt quenching technique. The Nickel ferrite [NiFe2O4] was prepared using Flash auto-combustion and mixed at a fixed ratio of 0.05 gm into the glass matrix to form a BSV- composite glass system [BSV / NiFe2O4], which was also prepared using the traditional melt quenching technique. The X-Ray diffraction pattern was used to characterize the glass samples and indicated their amorphous structure, with different structure phases for different levels of V2O5 content. Ranging from 200 to 1100 nm, UV–Vis spectroscopy was used to study the optical properties of the samples. The glass was found to absorb electromagnetic waves with wavelengths lower than 500 nm, while the energy gap decreased from 2.46 eV for 0.1 mol% V2O5 to 2.39 eV for 0.5 wt% V2O5. The Urbach energy also had the same behavior, and decreasing from 0.226 to 0.217 eV. On the other hand, the refractive index increased when V2O5 was added. The thermal characteristics of a [BSV / NiFe2O4] system, such as, glass transition temperature T G , onset temperature T X , crystallization temperature T C and melting temperature T m , were studied using a Differential Scanning Calorimeter. Using continuous and pulsed laser radiation, a [BSV-0.1 V2O5 / NiFe2O4] sample was exposed to laser irradiation to observe its effect on the optical features of the glass. Laser irradiation significantly changed the absorbance spectrum, while the energy gap decreased as time increased. The pulsed laser was found to have a more power-full and uniform effect compared to continuous laser. Time-dependent density function theory was used to optimize the geometrical structure of the glass and study the effect of the formation of 4- coordinate boron atoms on its properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-refractive index glasses are used to produce glass lenses by the precision optical Glass Mold Press (GMP) process and have been extensively studied because of increased demand for their application in telecommunications, optical lenses, and cameras. Borate glasses containing Ta 2 O 5 , Nb 2 O 5 , La 2 O 3 and Gd 2 O 3 have mainly been used as materials for GMP because of their excellent optical properties and low production cost. This study conducted a systematic investigation of the B 2 O 3 –La 2 O 3 –Ta 2 O 5 –SiO 2 quaternary glass system for precision GMP applications. The glass forming range of the quaternary system was studied using (B 2 O 3 +SiO 2)–La 2 O 3 –Ta 2 O 5 and changes in physical and thermal properties such as refractive index, density and glass transition temperature of the obtained glasses were examined. Compositional dependent structural changes were also inspected by Raman spectroscopy and solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses, to determine the compositions' effect on thermal and optical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Eu-doped xBaO-(100-x)B 2 O 3 and xBaF 2 -(100-x)B 2 O 3 glasses were prepared by melting method under a reducing atmosphere, exhibiting broadband luminescence peaks of 4f65 d1→4f7 in the excitation range of 300–400 nm. PL, EPR, and XPS were used to analyze the effects of the Ba2+, F−, and Eu ion content on the Eu2+/Eu3+ ratio and Eu2+ emission wavelength and intensity. An excess of Ba2+ ions with a high optical basicity reduced the Eu2+/Eu3+ ratio and enhanced the ligand field strength surrounding the Eu2+ ions, decreasing the Eu2+ luminescence intensity and red-shifting the luminescence peak. The addition of F− had the effect of diminishing the optical basicity, decreasing the OH groups content and eliminating Eu2+ clusters, which not only mitigated the effects of the Ba2+ ions, but also significantly enhanced the luminescence intensity of Eu2+ ions. An increase in the Eu ion concentration led to a red-shift in the Eu2+ fluorescence, which was attributed to the nephelauxetic effect. Therefore, the luminescence color of these glass samples could be manipulated by adjusting the doping concentrations of Ba2+, F−, and Eu2+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports the effect of 3d-transition metal ions on the optical features of chromium ions bearing glass host. Interestingly, this study unveiled the charge transfer of Cr ions at high energy (at 347 nm), which is often hidden in earlier reports due to its vicinity to the glass edge, and its immersion in the lattice band of the glass host. In addition to the well-defined charge transfer at low energy (at 378 nm). In this vein, glass composition [ (TM) 1 − (B 2 O 3) 80 − (BaO) 18.7 − (Cr 2 O 3) 0.3 ] , where TM is the transition metal ions in their oxide form, was prepared via the melt-quenching method at about 1100 °C. X-ray diffraction patterns confirmed the amorphous structure of the glass, and the chemical composition was examined using energy-dispersive X-ray spectra. The decrease in density (from 2.74 gcm − 3 to 2.59 gcm − 3 ) and the increase in molar volume (from 31.92 cm 3 mol − 1 to 34.32 cm 3 mol − 1 ) were demonstrated. Moreover, the refractive index is attained at an average value (1.50). The glass structure was studied using infrared spectroscopy, which elucidated an increase in N 4 (33.2%–37.5 %) and an increase in NBO (15.3%-18.4 %). Bewitshingly, the charge transfer of Cr 6 + ions, at high energy (347 nm), was explored. This, in turn, leads to a proper investigation of glass absorption edges that undergo a blue shift of about 1.25 eV. Adding 3d-transition metal ions affects crystal field splitting energy and interelectronic interaction within the d-orbitals of Cr ions. Finally, ESR data confirmed the Cr 5 + state (with ESR signal at 1.92) and Cr 3 + state (with ESR signal at 4.6, 4.07 and 2.04) of chromium ions. Such a cohesive investigation of the structure, optical and magnetic properties of 3d-transition metal ions-bearing chromium barium borate glass paved the route toward utilization of these samples in the optoelectronic realm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]