Infrared and UV–visible spectroscopic studies of gamma-irradiated Sb2O3–B2O3 glasses

• UV–visible and infrared spectra studies for binary Sb2O3–B2O3 glasses.
• The same spectra measurements were repeated after gamma irradiation.
• Optical spectra reveal absorption bands which are related to Fe3+ impurities.
• Gamma irradiation reveals shielding effect.
• IR spectra reveal vibrational band BO3, BO4 and SbO3 groups.

Glasses from the binary Sb2O3–B2O3 system were prepared in the compositional range 90–30 Sb2O3 mol%. UV–visible spectroscopic measurements were carried out in the range 190–1100 nm before and after successive gamma rays irradiation (1, 3, 4 Mrad). Infrared absorption of the samples was measured by the KBr technique in the range 4000–400 cm−1 and the same measurements were repeated after gamma irradiation with 4 kGy. Experimental results indicate that antimony borate glasses reveal quite shielding behavior towards gamma rays irradiation as observed with heavy metal cations bearing glasses such as Bi3+ and Pb2+. Infrared absorption spectra reveal characteristic absorption bands specific for the glass-forming borate units and Sb–O units. Glasses containing high antimony oxide content can thus be recommended as promising radiation-shielding material because they show resistant to gamma irradiation due to the presence of high percent of heavy metal oxide (Sb2O3).