Gamma irradiation on bismuth borate glasses doped by Eu3+ ions: Structural, optical and mechanical investigations

The research article concentrates on the effects of gamma rays [50 kGy] over Europium doped bismuth borate glass systems based on 10ZnO-5Na2O3-10Bi2O3-(75-x)B2O3-xEu2O3 (where x = 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5), synthesized through melt-quench technique. Structural changes in the glasses after gamma irradiation were probed by measuring the basic parameter density. XRD confirmed amorphous nature of the glasses. Optical properties were investigated for their lasing behavior through spectroscopic technique UV-vis-NIR absorption. Under mechanical characterization, Vickers (Hv) indentation tests were performed with mechanical loads 1000 gf and 500 gf. A theoretical model, Makishima and Mackenzie (M-M), gave reasonable estimation of different constants of elasticity (Young's modulus (E), bulk modulus (K), shear modulus (S), Poisson's ratio (μ)).