Structural properties of Bi2O3-B2O3-SiO2-Na2O glasses for gamma ray shielding applications

Glass samples of the xBi2O3-(0.70−x)B2O3-0.15SiO2-0.15Na2O (where x=0 up to 0.5 mol fraction) have been prepared in the laboratory by using melt quenching technique. 137Cs source has been used for experimental measurements of mass attenuation coefficient of γ-rays at 662 keV. Mass attenuation coefficient of our glass samples has been compared with standard nuclear radiation shield “barite concrete”. It has been concluded that bismuth containing glass samples can be potential candidates for γ-ray shielding applications. Glasses must have appreciable elastic moduli values for their practical utility as γ-ray shields which are related to coordination number and non-bridging oxygens. Structural properties including coordination number and non-bridging oxygens of the structural units of the glass system have been estimated from the detailed analysis of Optical, Raman and FTIR spectra. Reported investigations can contribute to the development of transparent gamma ray shields.