Elastic-mechanical, dielectric properties, and γ-radiation safety competence of calcium boro-zinc glass systems reinforced with Nb5+ ions: experimental and theoretical studies.

In this report, transparent glasses of borate-based glasses with molecular formula xNb₂O₅–25CaO–60B₂O₃–15ZnO: x = 0.0 (Nb0.0), 0.2 (Nb0.2), 0.4 (Nb0.4), 0.6 (Nb0.6), 0.8 (Nb0.8), and 1.0 (Nb1.0) mol% have been synthesized using the melt-quenching technique. Physical as well as various elasto-mechanical moduli of the proposed glass systems have been reported. Dielectric spectroscopy of glasses has been investigated in the frequency range from 50 Hz < f < 5 MHz at room temperature. Photon attenuation capacities of Nb0.0–Nb1.0 glass samples have been tested using Phy-X/PSD software. Density (3.261–3.312 g.cm⁻³) and molar volume (20.849–21.335) of the proposed glasses gradually enhanced as Nb⁵⁺ ions increased in the glasses network. The elastic-mechanical moduli are enhanced by increasing Nb⁵⁺ ions. The dielectric parameters including their loss (tanδ) were greatly enhanced by introduction of Nb⁵⁺ ions into the glasses network. Values of the mass-attenuation constant (µ_m) are gradually surged with as a function of the Nb⁵⁺ ions molar fraction. It is found that, the Nb1.0 glass sample (with highest Nb₂O₅ content) achieved the maximum µ_m and the glass sample encodes as Nb0.0 (with lowest Nb₂O₅ content) has the least values of µ_m compared with other glasses. Both half (T_1/2) and tenth (T_1/10) value layers as radiation-shielding parameters for the proposed glass systems obeyed the following sequence: (T_1/2,T_1/10)_Nb0.0> (T_1/2, T_1/10)_Nb0.2> (T_1/2,T_1/10)_Nb0.4> (T_1/2,T_1/10)_Nb0.6> (T_1/2,T_1/10)_Nb0.8> (T_1/2,T_1/10)_Nb1.0. The findings confirm that the Nb0.1 glass has the finest radiation-protection coefficients among all studied glass samples. In addition, the current glasses (Nb0.0–Nb1.0) are suitable as radiation-shielding material than OC, HSC, and ILC concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]