Synthesis, physical, optical, and radiation attenuation efficiency of Bi₂O₃+SrF₂+Li₂O glass system

This research paper reports on the optical characteristics and ionizing radiation attenuation properties of newly fabricated 55B₂O₃+ 10Bi₂O₃+ 20SrF₂+ (15-x)Li₂O + x CuO where x = 0 (Cu0)-8 (Cu8) in steps of 2 mol %. Density of the fabricated glasses was increased from 3.2836 g cm^-3 to 3.5424 g cm- 3 as CuO concentration enriched from 0 to 8 mol %. The estimated indirect Eg values were 3.04, 2.93, 2.86, 2.61 and 2.52 eV for the Cu0, Cu2, Cu4, Cu6 and Cu8 glass samples, respectively. Metallization criterion (M) has the following values 0.39, 0.38, 0.37, 0.36 and 0.35 for the Cu0, Cu2, Cu4, Cu6, and Cu8 glass samples, respectively. The nonlinear refractive index (n₂) values were improved with further CuO content. Comparatively, μm follows the order: Cu0< Cu2 < Cu4 < Cu6 < Cu8. The range of μ for Cu0- Cu8 was 0.1076-7.5351, 0.1089-7.5721, 0.1108-7.6563, 0.1133-7.7761, 0.1163-7.9218 cm^-1, correspondingly. The range of the HVL is 0.0920-6.3676, 0.0915-6.3676, 0.09053-6.254, 0.0891-6.1156, and 0.0875-5.9624 cm for Cu0-Cu8, respectively. The partial density of B enhanced from 0.34106 to 0.3556 cm^-1 as CuO mol % raised from 2 to 8 mol %. The total cross section for coherent (σcoh), incoherent (σinc), absorption (σabs), and total interaction (σtot) of thermal neutrons in the glasses grow with CuO content