Enhanced gamma-ray shielding performance of SrO-containing borate-based glasses doped with PbO and Eu₂O₃ featuring...

In this research, four borate-based glasses doped with PbO and Eu₂O₃ were synthesized using the standard melt quench method to examine their optical and gamma-ray attenuation properties. Optically, the cutoff wavelength elevated progressively as the PbO and Eu₂O₃ increase, signifying the structural modifications. The optical band gaps declined, owing to the replacement of B₂O₃ with highly polarizable PbO and Eu₂O₃ modifiers. In the context of radiation attenuation, the LAC at 0.08 MeV raised notably from 4.015 to 7.479 cm^-1. The Pb24Eu3 glass sample showed superior gamma-ray attenuation performance with a HVL of only 0.093 cm at 0.08 MeV. At 1.25 MeV, the LAC of Pb24Eu3 glass attains 0.255 cm^-1, exceeding several standard RS protective glasses such as RS-253, RS-323G19, and RS-360. The obtained outcomes signify that, the investigated glasses exhibit improved optical tunability and improved gamma-ray attenuation capacity, making them potential contenders for medical radiation shielding applications.