Physical, elastic-mechanical and radiation shielding properties of antimony borate-lithium in the form B${}_2$O${}_3$-CaO-Li${}_2$O-Sb${}_2$O${}_3$. Experimental, theoretical and simulation approaches

Role of Sb${}_2$O${}_3$ on physical, elastic-mechanical, and gamma-ray protection ability of (70-x)B${}_2$O${}_3$-15CaO-15Li${}_2$O-xSb${}_2$O${}_3$: x = 0, 1, 3, 5, and 8 mol% glass systems was investigated through this report. The density was improved from 2.410 to 2.780 g.cm${}^3$ associated with a simultaneous increase in the molar volume from 25.575 to 28.556 cm${}^3$/mol as the mol% of Sb increased in the samples. In addition, the oxygen packing density (OPD) and oxygen molar volume (OMV) were decreased and increased, respectively, as a direct response to this increase in Sb mol%. The Gibbs free energy increases from 32.22 to 33.796 kJ/cm${}^3$, while Young's modulus decreases from 43.17 to 41.23 GPa. Therefore, Poisson's ratio (σ) values were varied from 0.4069 to 0.4153. Vicker's hardness was improved by enhancing Sb${}_2$O${}_3$ concentration. The observed trend of the mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) parameter was followed as: MAC${}_{Sb0}$< MAC${}_{Sb1}$< MAC${}_{Sb3}$< MAC${}_{Sb5}$< MAC${}_{Sb8}$ with values in the range of 4.176-0.018, 5.907-0.019, 9.032-0.021, 11.775-0.0227, 15.315-0.0245 cm${}^2$/g for samples encoded as Sb0-Sb8, respectively.