Effect of gamma irradiation on the FTIR of cement kiln dust–bismuth borate glasses

• Synthesis of novel glass resisted radiation depending on cement kiln dust and borate based glasses.
• FTIR and ultrasonic parameters show dramatic changes with composition and radiation effects.
• Different behavior of elastic moduli with composition and radiation effects

Glasses from cement kiln dust and lead barium bismuth borate were prepared by the melt quenching method and studied by using FTIR and ultrasonic techniques before and after exposure to gamma irradiation at doses up to 120 kGy. The FTIR results indicated a deformation of the lead borate based glasses with the replacement of PbO by Bi2O3 which was attributed to the appearance of Bi–O stretching vibrations in [BiO6] structural units and generated excess of non-bridging oxygens. This deformation affected the [BO3] units which are indicated from the lower decreasing rate of N4 as a function of Bi2O3. The high covalency of Pb–O and B–O bonds compared with that of Bi–O or Si–O attracts the excess of non-bridging oxygens and resulted in a relaxation of the glass network. The relaxation decreased the ultrasonic velocities and the bulk modulus and hence the rigidity of the glass despite the increase of the density which was attributed to the replacement of Bi2O3 instead of PbO.The structural and rigidity changes due to composition variations showed a decreasing manner to the effects of radiation. The density of the glass increased while the ultrasonic velocities decreased. This behavior modulated the compositional behavior of the elastic moduli on Bi2O3 content.