Build-up shielding-factors, and physical & mechanical properties of borosilicate glasses with varied CeO₂ contents

Heavy-metal borosilicate glasses of composition 10BaO-10CdO-12PbO-3Al₂O₃-5SiO₂-(Z)CeO₂-(60 - Z)B₂O₃ (where Z = 0.5-4.0 mol%) were synthesized via a melt-quenching technique to systematically evaluate the influence of CeO₂ incorporation on their γ-ray shielding and mechanical characteristics. XRD and XPS confirmed amorphous glass formation with mixed Ce³⁺/Ce⁴⁺ oxidation states (42%/58%), while SEM-EDX evidenced compositional homogeneity and densification with increasing Ce content. Density rose by 8.55%, molar volume decreased by 4.21%, and oxygen packing density increased by 3.48%, signifying structural compaction. Mechanical assessments, based on the Makishima-McKenzie approach, showed that Young's modulus and bulk modulus increased from 74.53 to 77.43 GPa and 51.99 to 56.26 GPa, respectively, up to 2 mol% CeO₂, reflecting enhanced rigidity. Gamma-ray attenuation parameters determined using the Py-MLBUF platform revealed a substantial improvement in linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) by 21.75%, and a reduction in half-value layer (HVL) by 13.64% at 0.015 MeV, confirming superior shielding efficiency. The double-layer exposure buildup factors (DLEBF) reached a maximum of 6.79 at 0.05 MeV for GC₂-GC₀, demonstrating effective secondary photon suppression. These results highlight that moderate CeO₂ substitution enhances glass compactness, mechanical resilience, and γ-ray attenuation, establishing Ce-doped borosilicate glasses as robust candidates for advanced radiation shielding applications.