Preparation, physical, optical, ESR and γ-ray attenuation efficacy investigation of copper oxide/silver borosilicate glass

Abstract The sonication method was used to prepare a new set of CuO and CuO/Ag nanocomposites. The particle size was estimated using XRD and HR-TEM while the morphology of the nanoparticles was investigated with SEM. The average particle sizes of CuO and Ag falls in the 29.32–35.80 nm and 35.13–45.95 nm ranges, respectively. XRD declared that CuO has the space groups C 1 c 1 (9) and C 1 2/c 1 (15), while silver has space group F m -3 m (225). XPS analysis indicated the presence of Ag as Ag0 and Cu as Cu2+. Nano-oxide and nanocomposites were used to synthesis CuO and CuO/Ag doped lithium–zinc borosilicate glass. Physical parameters of the glass samples were calculated including density, $$\hbox {V}_{m}$$ V m , $$\hbox {V}_{o}$$ V o , $$\hbox {V}_{m}^{B}$$ V m B , OPD, $$\hbox {d}_{B-B}$$ d B - B , $$\hbox {n}_{b}$$ n b , and N, $$\hbox {R}_{p}$$ R p , and $$\hbox {R}_{i}$$ R i depending on Ag and CuO mole fractions. The physical properties of glass indicated an increase in density and an initial expansion in glass structural network with the addition of silver metal due to its larger size followed by a compression as its molar ratio increase due to its higher $$\hbox {C}_{no}$$ C no . XRD measurements were reported for the glass samples doped with nanoparticles, proving the amorphous phase. ESR measurements were determined for all glass samples to detect the nature of the doped nanoparticles when incorporated inside a glassy matrix where CuO was found as tetragonal in octahedral sites and silver can be transformed after melting inside the glass matrix into Ag+ to form more stable $$\hbox {Ag}^{x+}_{y}$$ Ag y x + clusters.The fabricated sample of CuAgB-4 with significant nano silver doping (7.32% mol) has the maximum LAc and effective atomic number. Nano silver content increases the $$\gamma$$ γ -RdSg in the lithium–zinc borosilicate glasses.