Extensive research into the structure, elasticity, optical, and radiation-shielding properties of zinc phosphate glasses doped with tungsten ions

The current research aims to investigate in depth the physical, elastic, optical, and shielding behaviors of a glass network of zinc phosphate. Aluminum oxide (Al${}_2$O${}_3$) was added as a glass modifier to improve the network strength. In addition, tungsten trioxide (WO${}_3$) was added as a dopant, with a ratio ranging from 0.2 to 0.7 mol% to enhance the glass characteristics. The glass density (D) values increased from 3.37 (the base glass) to 3.62 g/cm${}^3$ when WO${}_3$ was added to the network at 0.7 mol%. The increase in density values led to an improvement in the elastic properties of phosphate glass. Furthermore, the presence of WO${}_3$ in the zinc phosphate network tuned the optical band gap (E${}_g$), which decreased from 3.95 to 2.6 eV and also improved the non-linear optical susceptibility (χ${}^3$). The shielding behavior of such glass was strengthened by WO${}_3$, and its parameters were discussed at different energies.