Gamma-ray induced effect on the structural and optical properties and durability of neodymium-doped zinc–bismuth–borotellurite glasses and glass ceramics

This study explores the effect of gamma rays on a new glass and glass–ceramic 10ZnO–34.5B2O3–34.5TeO2–20Bi2O3–1Nd2O3. The samples were exposed to different gamma-ray doses of 2.5, 10, and 50 kGy. The impact of gamma-ray irradiation was investigated using different physicochemical methods. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) results for glass samples show that the amorphous nature did not change before and after irradiation, and a shift in the main peak along with a change in the unit cell volume with increasing doses was observed in glass-ceramic matrix. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectra (IR) for the glass samples show change in intensity without variation in the band position. The 50 kGy dose hid a high wavenumber peak in the FTIR and Raman spectra for the glass–ceramic sample, indicating a significant change in the glass–ceramic matrix. The reduction in the band gap energy for the glass samples confirms the FTIR results. The durability of the glass samples was gradually enhanced by increasing the dose up to 10 kGy. The up-conversion photoluminescence in the glass samples exhibits an emission peak at 525 nm that decreases in intensity as the dose increases. The mean free path results confirm the shielding features of the glass when compared to other reference glass materials. The results show that the glass is excellently stable and can withstand high gamma-ray doses, making it suitable for radiation applications.